Would You Like To Spar
by Tha' Drac Lord
Summary: Aang and Ty Lee get stuck on an island... An island that is home to the strangest creatures and people... They have to survive for 3 weeks and they end up falling for each other...
1. The Bald Monk

**Author's Note: This is a Ty Laang fanfic that i hope can be at least 10 chapters long... This is my first fanfiction ever and i'm new so please read and review... And if you see any errors, let me know.**

**Would You Like To Spar...?**

**Chapter 1**

"Woah lady " yelled Aang "slow down". Aang might have been talking to a rock for all he knew because a split second later, an arm shot out at lightning speed towards his left shoulder. He dropped down into a split so fast, he thought he heard something break. But a broken bone beat a numb arm, or did it..? He had no time to muse over this before she lunged at him with her fists. He liked to call her hands the 'fists of fury' and thought it fascinating that she could kill his body temporarily with those lethal limbs. But he wasn't finding it fascinating anymore, mostly because the 'fists of fury' were coming at him faster than he could have ever imagined.

She threw her hands at the bald monk but he dodged her attack by bending backwards. She sailed over his lithe form but a lifetime in the circus had made her an expert in controlling her body. She whirled in the air and came back at him like a lightning bolt. She used all of the energy she had left to lunge at the bald monk but the boy had bent a large wave of water at her and she almost blacked out from the impact. She managed to flip herself back on her feet. Aang was dead tired and bending from a body of water two hundred feet away had drained him. Only Master Pakku could do that level of bending without fainting and even the aged waterbending master would require a full moon' assistance to pull it off.

He dodged her attack again and with all the energy he had left, twirled his arms frantically before blasting an air cannon at Ty Lee. It hit her smack on the upper torso and sent her back by a few hundred feet. Good, Aang thought, now i have time and space to get ready for her next attack. His quick thought was cut short by a scary realisation. Ty Lee had, in fifteen seconds cleared that distance and was coming at him with a flying kick. He had no time to think, let alone move. Her flying kick hit him square in the face and Aang thought he saw a giant mushroom made of sand before he hit the ground.

Ty Lee finally let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding when she finally floored the bald avatar monk. It had been harder than she thought and had taken a lot more time than Azula had envisaged but Azula was right, this boy was a serious threat. No wonder Azula had ordered two imperial benders to go with her. They had come ashore in a canoe rowed by the benders. They had as per Azula's instruvtions split up when they had beached the canoe. She had gone left while the one bender had gone right while the other one had taken the middle part of the little island. She had snickered when Azula had showed her his picture that the royal artist had drawn. In the picture, he looked like a boy that lived in the mountains with a furry pet and herded sheep for a living.

" Enough reminiscing ", Ty Lee groaned to herself, " time to get to work ". Azula had ordered her to find and bring the boy to the ship. Azula would have come herself but she said she had important duties to attend to and Mai had boyfriend-related issues, or so she said. Ty Lee knew the real reason why Mai had not come with her, Mai and Zuko wanted to make out and Azula was too repulsed to say anything let alone do anything about it. Ty Lee knew there were two reasons *huff* " man this boy was heavy " *huff* why Azula didn't like Mai and Zuko's make-out sessions... One, because she was disgusted at the thought of anyone touching her brother with their lips. Two, because she was jealous because she had no one to do such things with. The latter thought made Ty Lee grin, then laugh. And Then she fell down with the bald monk on her. Her reminiscing had made her stand still with the heavy monk on her shoulder and her laughing had made her weak.

She was about to push him off so she could get up when she heard a deep rumbling sound. At first she thought it was the bald monk's stomach gurgling from something he ate. But then she heard the deep rumbling followed shortly by a flash of light and a strong wind. "Oh please no" Ty Lee shrieked " Agni no ". She flipped to her feet and ran to the shore where she left the canoe she came ashore in. It wasn't there. And the fire nation navy ship that had been anchored firmly in the middle of the sea wasn't there either. The two benders had obviously escaped in the canoe when they had noticed the approaching storm . But that wasn't what made her quiver in terror. As far as the eye could see, the sky was covered by a dark shroud of clouds so black, they stopped the setting sun's rays.

She turned as fast as she could and ran into the shelter of the trees where it was safer. She was zooming past the trees about to dive into a large cave she had seen when she had been fighting the bald monk. She was so close, she could almost smell the dry comfort of the cave when she tripped over something and plummeted through the air like one of Mai's knives and landed SMACK! on her face. She got up quickly and knew she was going to pass out in a few minutes. She turned and saw what tripped her, the bald monk. She looked past the trees and saw the thunderstorm surging at the island like one of Azula's fireballs. She jumped over the monk and ran into the cave and sat down in a warm corner.

It started to rain heavily and Ty Lee was getting very cold. She was freezing in the dry warmth of the cave and could only imagine what the bald monk was feelin- wait he was still knocked out. She took a deep breath, tied her cloak tightly around her shivering body and ran out of the cave into the pouring rain. The bald monk was farther than she thought and she almost tripped over a tree branch, or maybe it was a root. She finally got to the monk and hefted his small but heavy body on her shoulders and made her way back to the cave. She barely made it into the cave before her legs gave out and her upper body flopped downwards.

She remembered seeing the bald monk hurled into the cave from the impact of her fall. She could feel her legs being battered by the rain but she was too tired to do anything about it.

And then she blacked out...

**Author's Note: I hope you like it... Please review and tell me what you think and what you want to be changed...**


	2. The Cave

Author's Note: This is a Ty Laang fanfic that i hope can be at least 10 chapters long... This is my first fanfiction ever and i'm new so please read and review... And if you see any errors, let me know.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar The Last Airbender So dont sue

Would You Like To Spar...?  
Chapter 2

Aang was running with all his might and bending but as much as he tried to outrun it, it felt like he was running around in a circle... He was being chased by a dark cloud that was spitting mushrooms and cactus juice at him. He didn't remember what he had done to annoy a cloud that could spit mushrooms and cactus juice at people but as he was about to turn around to face the annoying cloud, he ran smack into a wall.

Ty Lee was tired and she couldn't feel her legs but she could feel and move her upper body which allowed her to move her head. It looked like dawn was breaking and there was enough light to allow her see the bald monk thrashing around like a fish out of water. She yelped when he leapt to his feet like a ninja and started to run around as if a Tiger-dillo was chasing him. Out of fear of failing Azula's mission by letting the avatar escape, Ty Lee attempted to jump to her feet but only succeeded in rolling over. Aang however, had managed to run into a wall and was jolted wide awake by the impact and the pain.

Aang looked around and started when he saw Ty Lee lying on her back with a blank look on her face. He held out his hands to steady himself before looking around the cave. Aang was puzzled. The last thing he remembered was seeing someone in a pink outfit kicking him so hard his brain had rattled violently inside his head. Out of his typical curiosity, Aang decided to see what Ty Lee was doing but then he remembered the kick and decided to approach her cautiously. He moved slowly until his feet were near her head. She looked at him and made a lunge at his head but her legs refused to move so she sank back down as fast as she had risen. Aang yelled and jumped backwards out of shock and fear. Aang approached her slowly and said " umm hi, i'm Aang and yo- ". Aang shut his mouth when he noticed that Ty Lee was shaking and coughing. He observed her closely and noticed that her ankles were pale white. Ty Lee must have followed his eyes with hers because she saw what he was looking at and let out an ear-piercing scream that almost made Aang want to jab knives in his ears. He yelled " Hey you dont have to shout, i'll help you" over her high pitched scream. He was surprised when she shut up and took a deep breath but then he realised that she was about to scream again so he bent down at the waist and put his hand over her mouth to save his ears and her lungs.

With his hand still covering her mouth, he looked at her scared face and spoke "I'll help you, just dont scream again ". She gulped and then she nodded at him, so he removed his hand and walked over to her legs. He inspected her legs and then came around to the side of her waist. "Your legs have been in the cold for too long, that's why they're pale. But dont worry i can heal you, i think ". Ty Lee sputtered and yelled "You THINK? . She had barely finished her complaints before Aang bent down, scooped her into his arms and carried her bridal style into the part of the cave that was warm and dry. He held her steady then lifted and rammed his right leg into the ground resulting in a series of loud noises that forced her to close her eyes out of shock and fear. By the time she opened her eyes, she could see a bed made of earth and an earth pillow.

Aang dropped her on the ground and she was confused. She started to ask, " What are you doi- " but a loud whoosh of wind cut her short and he vanished with a trail of dust rising after him. Ty Lee just sat there, staring at the entrance of the cave like a rock until it hit her. He had tricked her into trusting him and she had been foolish enough to fall for his stupid trick. Ty Lee began to chide herself, " Of course, he's a cute, no-good bald monk who's a very umm bad person and he's a- ". Again she heard a whoosh and he appeared with some firewood, two very large leaves that were the sizes of bedspreads, some smaller leaves and some vines. Aang began to ramble, "I m sorry i left like that but i had to go get these" and he lifted the things in his hands as if he thought she wouldn't believe him. Ty Lee was dazed for a moment before she asked in a shaky voice, "what for? . And he just stood there with a goofy grin on his face.

Though she refused to admit it, she was impressed. He was turning the cave into a sick ward for her. Aang first dropped the supplies, took off his shirt and then used earthbending to make the cave more solid to avoid cave-ins. Then he arranged the small leaves on the earth bed to make it softer and more comfortable. Ty Lee didn't even know when she sat up so she could get a better view of what the bald monk was doing. Next Aang used his earthbending to make the cave's entrance smaller. He then hung the first leaf across the opening of the cave with the vines to keep the cold out ensuring there were small spaces at the side to let air in. While Aang was doing these, Ty Lee just sat there with her mouth open, amazed at what he was doing and how easy he made it look. It would have probably taken her hours to do all this by herself but he had done most of it in five minutes. Finally Aang made a depression in the floor for the fireplace and used two pieces of green rock she hadn't seen earlier when he had come in. He used the green rock thingies to light the wood. Then he turned to face her. Ty Lee had been silently watching him work without a shirt. He had decent muscles and he looked so at ease with what he was doing, he was almost dancing around the cave on his feet. But when she found herself looking at his well-muscled abs and chest, she swallowed and raised her eyes to meet his.

He had an amused look on his face and a creepy smirk on his lips. He walked slowly to her and Ty Lee tried not to yell her head off. He got to her, bent down, carried her like she was a crate of cabbages and placed her on her 'bed'. She let out a breath of relief and swallowed so hard, his followed her throat's movements until he was staring at her bare stomach. It looked like it was hewn out of stone. But then Aang realized he was ogling her and began to blush in embarrassment. He snapped his eyes away as quick as he could and Ty Lee could have sworn he was embarrassed but she dismissed her asinine thought thinking it was crazy, after all he was the ava- Wait he was blushing! He was embarrassed. She couldn't help but giggle at how funny he looked with the lower half of his face pink.

Her giggle snapped him out of his trance and he began to apologize, "I'm really sorry, it's just-". Then he slapped himself on the forehead so hard that Ty Lee was shocked. "That is going to leave a mark , he mumbled silently and she nodded vigorously in agreement. He went to where her legs were and stood there looking at his hands like he was steeling himself to do something very hard. Her thoughts were confirmed when she heard his sheepish voice, "Could you umm, roll your shorts, i mean, pants up so i can umm heal your legs? . Ty Lee giggled, then guffawed and finally began to laugh. All the time she was rocking with laughter, Aang just stood there looking even more sheepish. When her laughter had died down, she looked at him, giggled and then bent at the waist to roll up her pants.

"Just lie down and try to relax, it won t hurt a bit ", he assured. She nodded, laid back and closed her eyes bracing herself for a very painful healing session but she was surprised when she heard that whooshing sound, again. She didn't even bother to open her eyes to look for him. She trusted that he would come back. So she just laid back and started to count "thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-sev- "*WHOOSH*. Ty Lee shivered a little because of the cool breeze that accompanied him. She opened her eyes and saw him panting slightly with a large glob of water floating between his outstretched hands. He looked at the water then he looked at her and swallowed. He walked over to her legs and stopped, "Are you ready?" he asked. She nodded frantically and let out a little squeak when the cold water touched her numb legs.

Ty Lee was surprised. She had expected it to be painful like the healing sessions in the fire nation infirmary where she sometimes heard wounded fire nation soldiers screaming in agony but it was surprisingly pleasant. So pleasant, she had to raise her head to look and confirm that he was indeed doing the healing thingy. He was, and even more surprising, the water was glowing a brilliant hue of blue around her feet and she couldn't help but moan in pleasure. Aang asked: "Does it hurt 'cause i can stop if you want to". She replied "No, it doesn't hurt at all . He grinned at her and resumed his ministrations on her limbs. Ty Lee laid back and grinned at the roof of the cave before falling asleep...

Author's Note: I hope you like it... Please review and tell me what you think and what you want to be changed... 


	3. Coconut Lunch

Author's Note: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender... So don't sue, please... In chapter 4, I'll begin the actual Ty Laang relationship... I'm still plotting on how I want it to be and I think it'll be up by Friday... Read and review...

Would You Like To Spar...?

Chapter 3

Aang woke up and opened his eyes slowly. He could see the roof of the cave and hear the relentless rain. He remembered healing the Fire Nation girl's legs. He must have fallen asleep right after he finished. Aang sighed and sat up. He crossed his legs and began to meditate like he always did. He began to feel calm and peaceful. He opened his eyes and noticed that he had been meditating for about an hour. It was almost noon but the sun was shrouded by heavy clouds that continued to produce rain. Aang sighed again then he got up and turned to observe the sleeping girl.

She sleeps just like Sokka, only she doesn't snore or leave her mouth open like he does, mused Aang. She had fallen asleep during the healing session and had been sleeping soundly since. He was surprised that a girl could sleep that much. It was almost noon and it was still raining heavily. It must rain here a lot, thought Aang. Aang walked towards Ty Lee and was about to wake her up when he heard a sound that made him grin then frown. Her stomach was rumbling like a volcano. He then realized that none of them had eaten for about a day and half and his growling stomach assented to the fact that he was hungry and had to get something to eat. He looked around the cave and decided he was going to go alone. He would have to get some sort of meat for her to eat. He walked over to her and pulled the leaf blanket over her shoulders to cover her petite frame. He walked out of the cave briskly and raised his left hand to deflect the pellet-like rain drops that were falling from the rumbling sky. He looked right and saw the waves rising and falling furiously. He turned to the left and began to walk into the trees.

Aang dropped his waterbending umbrella and looked at the tall trees that were preventing the most of the rain from reaching to the ground with their wide leaves. He didn't know their names but he had plucked a few leaves from them to put in the cave. He stopped when he saw two coconuts lying at the base of a towering coconut tree. Aang picked them up and shook each one vigorously. He grinned when he confirmed that they were healthy. "Well that's my lunch", he said. He turned on his heel and began to walk back to the cave. He held the two coconuts in his left hand and used his right hand to remake his waterbending umbrella as he left the canopy of trees. He pushed the leaf curtain aside and poked his head inside. Everything except the dying fire was just as he left it. He dropped his cargo on the floor and put more wood on the fire. He was about to break a particularly long piece of wood into two when he had an idea. After making sure Ty Lee was comfortably asleep, he went out of the cave with the stick.

The rain had dropped in its intensity and was now light and bearable so he didn't need his umbrella. He rammed the stick into the ground so it was standing upright. Then he picked a jagged rock and used it to carve the stick until it had a sharp tip. He threw his rock away and grabbed his wooden spear. Aang started to walk towards the calm waves then stopped when he realized two things. One, he couldn't fish. Two, fishing would mean him having to kill fish and that went against everything he had been taught by the monks. He slapped his forehead and returned to the cave. He entered, dropped his spear on the ground and looked at the still sleeping girl. "I guess I'll have to get her something else to eat", he muttered. He looked at his coconuts and decided she would have to settle for fruit and without wasting time, he turned and ran out of the cave into the canopy of trees to gather some more.

Ty Lee woke up a few minutes past noon and yawned sleepily. She rubbed her eyes with her hands and blinked a few times. She pushed the rock blanket down to her knees, sat up and looked around. There was a sharp wooden stick and two coconuts on the floor but the bald monk wasn't in the cave. She walked to the mouth of the cave and pushed the leaf curtain aside. It was raining lightly and she could see two pairs of footprints leading to and from some tall trees. "That must be where he is", she said. She was about to go out and find him when she remembered the healing session so she walked back into the cave to inspect her legs. Her legs felt great and she did a standing tuck to test them. She grinned when she stuck the landing without any pains or aches and decided to do a fingerstand. Ty Lee bent at her waist until her palms were flat on the floor then raised her legs off the ground until she was doing a handstand. Her stomach rumbled and her arms swayed a little but she remained in her handstand for a few seconds then raised her palms off the ground so only her fingers were touching the ground. With a giggle, Ty Lee closed her eyes and started to count.

Aang was lucky he had found some apples and a bunch of grapes. He entered the cave and was about to drop them when he saw her standing upside down on her fingers with her eyes closed. He thought she would still be asleep. He dropped the fruits in his hands on the ground and approached her quietly but she must have heard him come in because she opened her eyes and looked at him with a grin on her upside down face.

"Hi", she greeted.

"Umm hi", he replied, "I'm Aang".

"My name's Ty Lee".

"Well Ty Lee, would you like some fruit?"

Her stomach chose that moment to growl like an angry tiger-dillo and she blushed. She flipped herself upright and smiled shyly.

"Yes please".

Aang nodded and divided the pile of fruit into two parts ensuring she got the bigger share. She sat down, crossed her legs and began to fiddle with her braid. He gave her her share and Ty Lee began to eat. She was hungry and the fruit tasted so good. She scarfed down her share of grapes and apples and smiled delightedly. She picked up her coconut and tried to bite it but it was too hard. She had confused look on her face and was staring at the coconut as if she could open it with her eyes. Aang had been watching her and was trying not to laugh. She heard him chuckle and she blushed.

"Let me try".

She looked up and saw Aang standing with his hands open. She nodded and tossed the coconut into his waiting hands. He caught the hairy fruit and smiled.

"This isn't going to take long".

He held the coconut with one hand and used his free hand to pull a small glob of water from the small stream flowing past the mouth of the cave. Suddenly he threw the coconut up and used the water to slice the coconut into two. The water hit the cave wall and made a thin line on the wall. The coconut fell down and split neatly into two. Aang picked the two pieces up and pulled the shell away from the flesh of the divided pieces. He gave it to her and she whispered a "thank you" at him before she bit into the firm flesh.

Author's Note: I hope you liked it... Review and tell me what you think... Later...

Drac out!


	4. Training

**Author's Note: I don't own ATLA or any of its characters and this is a non-profit fanfic... So don't sue... **

**For any of you that are confused, I'd like to clarify some facts... Zuko is with Azula on her quest to capture Aang... Aang can only bend air, water and earth... The Gaang (including Toph) split up to meet later on Kyoshi Island... Katara doesn't "like" Aang the way he likes her and the island Aang and Ty Lee are stranded on is called Xen Qhu Island...**

***Note* I came up with the name of the island... The names of people and places I come up with will have asterisks next to them****...**

**Would You Like To Spar...?**

**Chapter 4: Training**

A week ago...

"I'm sorry Aang, I like you but…" She mumbled.

"But you don't like me ", Aang swallowed, "That way..."

"No... I don't, I'm sorry... But we can still be friends..."

"Yeah friends..."

His voice sounded strange and his throat felt sore but it was nothing compared to what he was feeling in his chest. It felt like he had been hit with a mountain. His eyes were blurry and he was pretty sure he was going to cry so he grabbed his glider and ran out of the camp site.

He came back half an hour later with bloodshot eyes that he made sure no one saw. He barely heard Sokka when he announced that the Gaang would have to split up and meet on Kyoshi Island in a month. He did hear himself throatily telling Sokka to take Appa and Momo with him. And he remembered Sokka's hug and Toph's characteristic goodbye punch on his shoulder. He remembered Sokka, Toph and Katara climbing into Appa's saddle and Momo circling his neck affectionately before flying into the saddle too.

Toph announced that she was heading to home to see her parents and continue as defending champion at Earth Rumble Six. Sokka said he and Katara would fly north and stay with their sister tribe until the rendezvous on Kyoshi Island. They would drop Toph off at her estate before flying north.

He waited until they had flown out of sight into the setting sun before he grabbed his glider and flew off in the opposite direction they had gone. He didn't bother to check his bearings. He just kept flying. He flew until it was morning and he couldn't hold on to his glider anymore so he landed on the first island he saw. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he flung his glider into the distance with all his might and yelled out in pain. After that, he fell to the ground and fainted from exhaustion.

He woke up five days later half dead with the sun streaming into his eyes. Aang got up and looked around. He appeared to be on an island though he didn't know which island or where it was. He decided to get a better view so he jumped as high as his bending allowed and looked around. He landed without a sound and began to process what he had seen. He was on an island in the middle of the sea. The closest area of land was another island that was so far away, it looked like a pebble.

Aang decided he needed to look for his glider so he could fly his way to the closest Air Temple. He looked around and tried to remember which direction he had flung his glider in his fury. He was about to walk into the bushes to start searching when he heard someone behind him. He turned around and saw a girl clad in pink with a long ponytail standing a few feet away. Aang recognized her instantly. He had fought her before with the fire nation princess Azula, her brother and a pale girl who threw knives. Aang sighed resignedly and got into his defensive stance, ready for her attack.

Present day...

Aang started. He was awake and there was something lodged in his mouth like a pebble. He reached into his mouth and pulled out a grape. He stared at it for what seemed like an eternity before his brain came up with a reasonable explanation. He had dozed off while eating his share of the grapes. Aang looked around the cave and began to process the changes. It had stopped raining and the sun was shining bright like it was supposed to. The flowing rivulets of water had dried up and the cave was warm and dry. He was about to get up when he froze.

Aang blinked a few times before he got to his feet. The fire nation girl- Tu Lee no Ty Lee was gone. He turned around and scanned the cave again to be sure. The girl was definitely gone. Aang was about to scratch his head when he heard a dull thud.

He cocked his head and he listened to see if he would hear another one.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

He blinked rapidly and decided to investigate. Aang walked over to the covering of the cave and cautiously poked his head out to see what was making the noise. He was surprised when he saw the fire nation girl he thought was gone standing in front of a tree hitting it like it was an attacking opponent.

Aang looked around and saw that the waves were no longing tossing about. The trees looked clean and everything in sight, even the rocks looked scrubbed. The air smelt fresh and there was a pleasant breeze blowing.

Aang sighed pleasantly and came out of the cave. It was a nice day and he had a feeling it was going to get even better. Aang took a deep breath and sighed again. He smiled and began to walk to where the fire nation girl was doing whatever she was doing.

Ty Lee had finished her fruit lunch before she realized that the bald monk- Uung no, that wasn't it, Eeng no, Aang! Yes Aang had fallen asleep with a grape in his mouth. She had giggled and was about to wake him up when he began to mumble nonsense like one girl who had fallen asleep drunk at their circus one night. Ty Lee decided it'd be better if she left him to sleep. She got up and decided to stretch her legs a little. She pushed the leafy curtain aside and steeped out with her eyes closed into the open.

Ty Lee opened her eyes and squealed when she saw how beautiful everything looked. The rocks, trees and well everything looked amazing. She was enthralled by the scenery and couldn't stop herself from grinning. She was about to go into the cave to call the monk boy to come see how everything looked when something caught her attention.

She squealed again and turned on her heels to look at it properly.

"Aww, you looks so cute... I'll catch you and keep you and train you and cuddle you and fee-"

Ty Lee didn't even get to finish her sentence before the rabbit-squirrel bolted away. She didn't think, she just ran after the rabbit-squirrel as fast as she could. The rabbit-squirrel made a beeline for the safe haven of its tree and Ty Lee shot after it with a determined look on her face. She was about to catch it when it dove into a hole at the base of its tree. Ty Lee was stunned but she knew that the hole was too small for her petite frame so she tried to slow herself down so she wouldn't run into the tree but she was going too fast and the tree was too close. Ty Lee got to the tree but instead of running into it, she used her momentum to run up the tree. When she was about four feet up the tree she launched herself off the tree and spun into a backflip. She landed and huffed in frustration.

She looked up at the sky and saw the bright sun dancing lazily in the sky. If she was still on the ship she would be watching Azula and Mai train. She never trained with them because she didn't fight like them. Her fighting style was unique. She had even invented her own kata.

Ty Lee looked at the tree and reasoned that a little training wouldn't kill her. Besides she had been training every day since she joined the circus and they had travelled a lot so being stuck on an island wasn't an excuse not to train. With a serious look on her face, she faced the tree and bowed to it ceremoniously. Then she took a fighting stance and started to kick and jab at the tree. She was hitting as hard as she could. She knew her hands wouldn't hurt. They had hurt the first time she had tried training with a tree but she had persisted and had grown into it.

Aang was a few feet behind her when he stepped on a twig. It wasn't dry and it didn't break but it gave his position away with a noisy squelch. Ty Lee was about to kick the tree when she heard a wet sound behind her. Instinctively, she turned around and got into her fighting stance.

Aang was startled by how fast she had turned. He yelped and jumped back a few good feet before landing noiselessly on his feet. He straightened and grinned.

"I'm sorry I startled you", He said.

She relaxed and straightened out of her stance before she replied.

"It's okay".

He nodded. Ty Lee cocked her head to one side waiting for him to say why he had interrupted her but he just stood there grinning. Slowly she let her eyes run over his body and couldn't help but wonder how anyone could be slim and well-built at the same time. He snapped her out of her stupor when he spoke in his girlish voice.

"So… Why are you punching the tree? "

"I was training. I do it every day", She replied.

Aang nodded in understanding then he looked at the tree and frowned.

"You're hurting the tree "

Ty Lee scoffed and was about to ask him what he was talking about when she stopped and looked down at her hands. They were covered in wet tree bark but she had been too immersed in her training and thoughts to notice. She gasped and looked up at the tree.

He was right. The base of the tree trunk was covered with wounds. Sap was leaking out of some of the wounds. Ty Lee didn't recall how and when she had begun to batter the tree. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the tree she had inflicted pain on.

Aang walked over to the tree and rubbed the tree affectionately like it was an injured pet. As he was rubbing the tree, he was thinking. He knew she had to train every day to keep her form but she didn't have to kill all the trees in the forest to do it. If she sparred with him, they would both get an opportunity to train without killing the entire forest. He grinned and was about to speak but she spoke first.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know my hands would hurt the tree ", She mumbled in an apologetic tone.

Aang stopped in his tracks. She had startled him with that simple apology. He didn't expect her to apologize. On the contrary, he had expected her to laugh and be unconcerned. He had always thought that people from the fire nation were all evil and heartless but this petite girl with the long ponytail had proved him wrong. Aang observed her face and saw sincerity in her brimming eyes. She looked down when their gaze met and a smile formed slowly on his lips.

"It's okay, you didn't mean to"

Ty Lee nodded affirmatively.

"You could spar with me instead of hurting the tree", He said slowly.

Ty Lee's head jerked up when she heard what he said. She looked at him first then the wounded tree before she asked in a squeaky voice.

"You- you want to spar with me?"

Aang grinned and nodded. Then he dropped into his fighting stance and asked in a clear voice.

"Tu Lee, would you like to spar with me?"

"It's Ty Lee", she giggled, "And yes, I would Aang"

And then she got into her fighting stance with a smirk on her face.

**Author's Note: I hope you like it… Review and tell me what you think…**

**DRAC OUT…**


	5. Catharsis

**Author's Note: Sorry for the late updates... My exams are making it hard for me to update regularly... I'm kinda squeezing this chapter into my tight schedule so it might be lower in quality than the previous chapters... Bear with me...**

**P.S. I know it's kinda confusin'... Even I'm confused but i think Aang has been on the island for a week while Ty Lee has spent two days... I think... Don't hate me...**

**ON WITH THE STORY...**

** Would You Like To Spar...?**

**Chapter 5: Catharsis**

Aang blushed when she corrected him. He was about to blurt an apology when he saw a clenched fist sailing towards his face. He quickly sidestepped her fist before he realized something. Her fist was too slow, either that or he was getting too fast. He dismissed the latter thought before bending over to dodge her second fist. Again he had time to see her hand cruise over his head so he deduced that she was going easy on him.

" Your fists are too slow." Aang quipped.

"What...?"

"You're going easy on me, aren't you...?"

"Not really."

"You don't have to... I can handle it "He boasted.

Ty Lee was confused. She had no idea what she was doing sparring with the enemy of her homeland. Azula had sent her on a mission with clear instructions but here she was sparring with her target. Ty Lee could not explain her sudden loss of priority but she could rectify it. She was about to stop their friendly spar when he complained that her attacks were too slow. His boastful comment was the last straw and she decided she was going to turn this into a real match. One that ended with her capturing the boastful monk and delivering him bound to Azula. With her plan in mind, she smirked and threw a punch at him.

Aang was beginning to regret his comments as her fist sailed past his face. It wasn't like the previous attacks. Those had been slow and harmless. These made it seem as if she was trying to capture him again. Aang barely had time to jump over her ensuing kick. The look on her face only helped confirm his suspicions that she was trying to capture him. She looked angry and murderous. Another kick swooshed by. Aang barely dodged that one. He was getting worried that this new development wouldn't bode well for him.

Her third kick hit him square in the chest and it felt like Toph had shot him with her 'rock-et'. Aang was still recovering from the kick when he felt her 'fists of fury' hitting his shoulders. He tried to move his hands but they disobeyed his screaming brain. He had one hope left - his legs.

Aang jumped up and bent a gust of wind from his legs. It launched him backwards through the air like a dart. He flipped his body into a backflip and landed on his feet. He heaved a sigh of relief when the distance between his body and her lethal fists widened by a considerable margin. His relief was short-lived when he saw her coming at him. Instinctively, he jumped up and spun into a kick.

His kick connected with her face and she flew backwards. Aang was mildly surprised when she landed flat on her face. He had been expecting her to land on her feet or hands or fingers. He knew he wasn't to be angry but he was. She was toying with him; first she pretended to be sorry then she tried to capture him.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS ". He yelled. Aang knew they weren't actually friends but he felt like they were. Ty Lee stood up, dusted her clothes, placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.

Her reply was cool and scathing. "I am not your friend. You are an enemy of my nation and that makes you my enemy. You are an opposition to the progress of the Fire Nation and you must be eliminated like the rest of your people."

Aang's eyes darkened when she mentioned his people. She had no right to be talking about his people like that. Her nation had taken his family away and she had just declared it like a fisherman announcing the price of his catch.

Aang growled and roared at her. "An opposition? How did we ever oppose your nation? We lived in temples on mountains out of the way of other people. WE NEVER OPPOSED ANYBODY. WE NEVER FOUGHT ANYONE. WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE AN ARMY! "

"That's a lie. The Fire Nation defeated the air nation army under firelord Soz- ".

"We didn't have an army. We were just monks living in temples. We never bothered anyone. But the fire nation marched in and slaughtered them all, my brothers, my fathers, my friends. If i hadn't run away, I'd be dead too like... like the rest of them. "He finished.

Ty Lee watched with her mouth open as Aang crumpled to the floor and covered his face with his hands. His hands were moving again but that wasn't why Ty Lee was shocked. She was blinked rapidly when he began to sob like a girl. His body was shaking lightly.

"My grandfather was a general. He told me that the air nation army fought back with spears. "

Aang's head jerked up violently and his eyes were streaming with tears. He sniffed before he spoke in a shaky voice.

"Your grandfather lied. He and his men killed my family. The only family i ever had. He and his men marched into my home and burnt my family alive. My friends were burnt to their bones under your grandfather's orders. We had no weapons and we didn't resist but they had no mercy. They murdered my family and burnt my home down because they knew the avatar would be born an air nomad. "

Ty Lee was shocked. She had read in the history tomes the account of how the Fire Nation had battled the air nation army. She had never imagined that the history books and her grandfather had lied. The encounter between her nation and his had not been a war. It was a massacre.

Ty Lee couldn't take it anymore so she turned on her heel and ran into the forest. It began to rain heavily but she ignored the pelting drops of water and ran on. She slowed down and stopped to sit at the base of a tree. She tucked her head in between her heads and began to think.

She didn't know why but she believed him. The look in his eyes as he spoke had said more than he had. His eyes had been filled with tears, agony and pain. He had not been lying about what her nation had done to his which meant that the Fire Nation were lying. They were lying to the boys and girls in the academies. They were all being fed lies. She had been taught in the Royal Girls Academy that the air nation were enemies of the Fire Nation's progress. If the rest of Aang's people were anything like him, then there was no way they could have been enemies of progress.

A sound interrupted Ty Lee's thoughts. She looked up but the heavy rain was making it hard to see clearly. She squinted and saw it. It was a *wolfhound and it was snarling at her. Ty Lee scrambled to her feet quickly and faced the snarling beast.

The wolfhound was standing a few feet away. It was breathing slowly and its fur-covered back rose evenly with every breath it took. It snarled again then reared up before it charged at her.

Ty Lee leapt to the side. It rushed by her in a frenzy. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her pounding heart. This creature wasn't a bender that she could poke until it was harmless. It was a wild creature and she couldn't just bend down and poke it its pressure points, if it had any. Her best bet would be to kick it in the torso. Ty Lee nodded to herself and waited for the beast to charge again.

It came straight at her again like she wanted and Ty Lee sidestepped again and let the beast pass before she kicked its stomach with all the strength she could muster. Her right leg hit the wolfhound in its side and it fell on its side whining in pain. Ty Lee grinned and huffed at the groaning creature on the ground.

Her elation was short-lived when she felt a thick liquid running down her leg. She looked down and saw blood pouring from three claw marks on her left leg. The wolfhound must have slashed her leg before she kicked it. Or was it after? Ty Lee's musings were cut short when the wolfhound now on its feet let out a loud howl that made her ears hurt. Ty Lee was afraid because if her suspicions were correct, then the wolf was calling in reinforcements. She had barely survived one wolfhound, how would she cope with more than one? Two answering howls echoed in the distance and Ty Lee began to fear for her life.

Aang was a bit confused when he looked up to see that Ty Lee had vanished. He could see her tracks leading into the forest. Aang contemplated following her but he decided against it. It was raining hard and the sky was rumbling like a dragon. Aang got up and walked to the cave. He entered the cave and re-lit the dying fire so the cave would get warm. He was about to bend the waterbend his clothes dry when he heard a wolfhound's howl. He stooped in his tracks and turned slowly to face the direction the howl had come from. When he heard the responding howl. His eyes widened in fear and he heard his voice.

"Ty Lee."

Aang shot of the cave as fast as he could and followed her tracks as quick as he could. He knew what those howls meant. Sokka had told him that a wolfhound only howls when it has found prey. They didn't howl like their relatives, the wolves to announce their position they made barking sounds instead. Aang was worried to death. One wolfhound was a formidable foe, even for him. Three was a death sentence. Aang knew he'd never forgive himself if anything happened to her after all it was his fault that she was out there.

Ty Lee was exhausted. She had thought one wolfhound was enough trouble but now that she was facing three, she was beginning to wish it was only one wolfhound that was trying to kill her. She had put up a good fight but one girl could only do so much against three wolfhounds. She had kicked all of them as hard as she could but they had inflicted some serious injuries on her. Her back had three bleeding gashes that adorned her midriff. Her face had one thin slash and her left leg had another trio of bleeding wounds. Ty Lee was fighting for her life but these wolfhounds were relentless and her exhaustion was making it a losing battle.

Ty Lee screamed in pain when one bit her already wounded leg. That made it two claw injuries and a bite wound on her left leg and one faint line where one wolfhound had grazed her on her right. Ty Lee looked at the wolfhounds and took a deep breath. She limped backwards until her back hit a tree. Both legs were weak so she decided to lean against the tree for support. She let out a sigh of exhaustion.

The wolfhounds seemed to understand the situation as they growled at each other before they turned to snarl at her. Ty Lee swallowed and desperately began to wish she was a bender. So she could bend the wolfhounds away. Ty Lee swallowed again and braced herself. The first wolf growled before lunging forward. Ty Lee could see its claws quivering in anticipation.

Ty Lee was shocked and a little confused when a foot blurred out of nowhere and hit the wolfhound in its face. The force of the kick sent the beast flying to her left into a nearby tree. The foot landed and Ty Lee jerked her head up to see who it belonged to. She could stop a grin from spreading across her face when she saw Aang standing, combat ready in front of her.

He turned to look at her. His gaze swept over her body quickly, only slowing when his eyes found a bleeding wound. His gaze got to her face and his eyes darkened in what looked like anger. Ty Lee was surprised. Had he been worried about her? Ty Lee watched speechless as he turned around to face her beastly assailants. Ty Lee didn't know why but she had a feeling that the wolfhounds were in trouble.

Aang was furious. They had hurt Ty Lee. They had marred her beautiful skin with claw marks. He was pissed and he wasn't even sure why. He looked at the three wolfhounds and he assumed his airbending stance. The first wolfhound lunged at him and Aang shot an air blast at it. The wolfhound howled as it hurtled backwards. The second one did the same and Aang repeated the action. Aang was focusing so much on the two in his front, that he forgot that there were three wolfhounds, not two. The two wolfhounds snarled and leapt at Aang again but he blasted them back with two air canons. He turned his head to see how Ty Lee was dong and saw two things that made him angrier than he already was. Ty Lee was unconscious and the third wolfhound had slipped past him and was rearing to attack her.

Aang turned fully and watched as the third wolfhound sailed at the unconscious Ty Lee. Aang punched his arm into the air and a stone wall materialized between Ty Lee and the leaping wolfhound. The wolfhound hit the wall with a loud smack and fell down without a sound. Aang heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that the wolfhound was unconscious. His moment relief passed when the two wolfhounds hit him at the same time. The impact knocked his body forwards and he had to put his arms in his front to prevent his face from hitting the muddy ground.

Ty Lee opened her eyes slowly. She was losing blood fast from her untended wounds fast. Her head was throbbing and her wounds were hurting. The rain had let up but the sky was still rumbling dangerously. She turned and saw a wall that she could have sworn wasn't there a few minutes ago. She looked straight ahead and her breath caught in her throat. Aang was on the muddy ground and was using his hands to brace his body. His clothes were ripped in numerous places and there were two ugly looking gashes on his shoulders. The culprits responsible were on each side of him and they were growling victoriously.

Her voice was weak and hoarse but she managed to produce the sound she wanted. "Aang? ". As if he had been shot with an arrow, Aang's head jerked up suddenly and his eyes and tattoos became a brilliant white. Ty Lee gasped as he rose without using his hands. It was almost as if he was floating on air. If Azula's descriptions were correct, he was in the avatar state.

Aang was weak. The double attack that the two wolfhounds had executed had weakened him. He was trying to summon strength to push is body up when he heard his name. Her voice sounded weak and full of fear. His head jerked up and he saw her face through a brilliant sheen of white. Then everything froze. The leaves were frozen in place, the rain drops had stopped mid-air. It was as if everything in the world had stopped in time. Everything except him.

Aang looked down and saw that his feet were hovering above the ground. Then it happened. One moment, everything was frozen and he was floating, the next moment, his feet were on the ground and his hands could move. Aang spread both arms out in the direction of each wolfhound and a wave of mud and water hit each wolfhound sending them flying in opposite directions. And as quickly as it began, it was over.

Ty Lee blinked. A moment ago, he had been floating, now he was standing and his arms were outstretched. His hands had bent water and mud that had swept the two wolfhounds away. He took a deep breath and dropped his hands.

Aang walked slowly towards Ty Lee. Her face had an unreadable expression on it. He bent down and picked her up bridal style and she clung to him like he was a rope and she was drowning. Pain shot through his body from his shoulders but he didn't show it. The look in her eyes was enough to make him not feel the pain searing through his body. He swiveled his body in the direction of their cave and he began to walk slowly. Each step was painful but he could handle it.

He stopped and looked at her face before he spoke.

" I'm sorry for yelling at you ".

" I'm sorry for the things i said ". She replied almost immediately.

Aang nodded and continued to walk. Suddenly it wasn't hard to walk anymore and his shoulders hurt a little less. Aang smiled as he trudged on slowly to the safe haven of their cave.

**Author's Note: Sorry for my late updates. Exams are sucking the life out of me. I'm trying to atone for my delayed updates by making this my longest chapter yet... Am i forgiven...?**

**Anyway i hope you like it… Please review and tell me what you think…**

**DRAC OUT…**


	6. Healing Sessions And Leafy Blankets

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the late update... My exams are finally over... Now I have about a year's worth of free time to write. And I'll finally be able to rewrite and correct the previous chapters... The thought makes me giddy with excitement... Anyways, I've decided to start writin' the number of days spent Ty Lee has spent on the island, that way I'll have time to develop the story the way I want... I apologise for any errors. My laptop is MIA so I'm writing this chapter with my phone... So yeah.**_

_**ON WITH THE STORY**_

_**Chapter 6 (Day 2) **_

_**Healing Sessions and Leafy Blankets**_

_Ty Lee was exhausted. Her wounds were slowly dripping blood and her body ached painfully with every breath she took. Her eyelids felt unnaturally heavy and she found it was getting increasingly difficult to keep her eyelids up. She let out a small sigh and let her eyelids fall._

_Aang was exhausted. It was hard work carrying Ty Lee's petite but surprisingly heavy body under normal circumstances. Carrying it with two severely wounded shoulders was next to impossible. His hands were probably numb. Aang tried to move his fingers and his lips creased into something that could vaguely be described as a smile when they responded, albeit slowly. Aang let out a breath and trudged on slowly to their cave. Aang stopped and looked at the place the cave was supposed to be. He saw nothing but trees. Aang was confused. He should have gotten to the cave by now. He pivoted his head slowly and surveyed his surroundings. The trees didn't look familiar. They didn't even look like the ones Ty Lee had been training with. These trees, from what he could see looked taller and slimmer. Aang looked around one more time before he realised that he was nowhere near the cave. Another turn of his head confirmed his thoughts; he was lost. He looked down at Ty Lee and saw her chest rising and falling at an uneven pace. Aang was worried. He had planned to heal her wounds with the water near their cave but now they were nowhere near their cave._

_"This is bad. Aang groaned, "This is really bad."_

_Ty Lee opened her eyes slowly. Her body still hurt and her vision was blurry at the edges. She had been taught in Physical Study classes that blurry vision was a symptom of excessive blood loss. Excessive blood loss. Ty Lee wondered for a second how much blood she had lost; a cupful ? More like two cupfuls, she mused. Ty Lee tried to move her feet but they refused her command. She looked at Aang and realised that he had stopped moving. She managed a restricted look around and saw that they were surrounded by trees, not rock. Meaning they were not in their cave. Unless Aang had created a forest in the cave- Ty Lee halted her line of thought. Ty Lee let out a small groan before she used her voice._

_" Aang ? " Her voice sounded weak in her ears. Aang's eyes met hers before she finished calling his name. He looked drained. The glow that Ty Lee had become used to seeing on his skin was absent. He looked deathly pale._

_" Ty Lee ? Are you okay ? " His voice sounded hoarse. Worse than hers._

_Ty Lee ignored his question and countered with her own, " Aang ? Where are we ? "_

_" I don't know. I think we're lost "_

_Ty Lee blinked. " We're lost ? How ? "_

_" I don't know."_

_Ty Lee swallowed before she asked, " What do we do now ? "_

_" We'll have to sleep out here. Then we'll get our bearings in the morning and try to find the cave. "_

_Ty Lee didn't know why she wasn't mad at him for getting them lost. Maybe it was because he had saved her life, or because he looked like he was going to drop dead at any moment. Ty Lee looked at his face and saw the exhaustion on his face. His eyes lacked their usual sparkle and his lips had lost their colour. Ty Lee felt a feeling she rarely felt at that moment; pity._

_" Okay, we'll sleep out here. "_

_Aang nodded and then settled her on the wet ground carefully before he got to work building the tent. It was agonising work. Everytime he lifted his hands to bend, his shoulders would send mind-numbing pain through his upper body. Aang couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief when the earthen tent was finished. He was so weak he had to rest his hands on his knees for support._

_Ty Lee watched helplessly as Aang constructed their night camp. The thought that she couldn't do a single thing to help made her feel bad. What made her feel even worse was watching the wounds on Aang's shoulders bleed anew while he manipulated the elements. His back was covered in discoloured blood and his wounds were still exposed and oozing blood. Ty Lee watched as he finished the tent. He was so tired, he had to lean forward on his knees. She was about to ask if he was alright when he fell face down into the wet ground._

_Aang's vision was rolling around. He could hear Ty Lee pounding a large drum or was she blowing a sungi horn ? The next thing he felt was cold wet mud. It was on his face. His mind began to play tricks on him. Maybe it was Katara trying to heal his face. Maybe it was Ty Lee numbing his face. Maybe it was the ground. Then everything went black._

_Ty Lee was shocked. Aang had just toppled to the ground. Ty Lee knew he was exhausted but she had not expected him to collapse like that. Ty Lee rose to her feet with a painful groan. Her injuries still hurt but she ignored the pain coursing through her body and walked slowly to where he was lying face down on the muddy ground. Ty Lee knelt down next to him then she put her hand on his back below his wounds and rolled him over and so they wouldn't touch the muddy ground. His face was covered in mud and it looked like he had stopped breathing. Ty Lee wiped the mud off his face with her free hand before she pressed his chest down slowly. She lifted her hand and his chest slowly followed it. She repeated the action until he started breathing on his own. His breaths were shallow and uneven and Ty Lee was getting worried that he wouldn't make it till morning. His wounds would probably get infected. Ty Lee groaned before she hefted his body on her shoulders. He felt light like a pillow. Ty Lee ambled slowly to the earth tent without falling. She slowly and carefully deposited him into the tent before she entered herself. She was freezing and she was pretty sure he was cold too but there was no fire to warm them. Ty Lee bit her lip and considered her options. The only way they would not freeze to death would be to cuddle together to conserve body heat. Ty Lee let out a breath before she threw her arms around Aang's sleeping form. It was going to be a long night, she mused. A very long and cold night._

_Aang woke up with a pain-induced groan and sat up slowly. His injured shoulders were no more sending shards of pain soaring through his body. His shoulders were now numb, like they had tried to heal naturally and failed._

_" I'll take numb shoulders over bleeding ones any day of the week ."_

_Aang smiled weakly and glanced over at Ty Lee to see if she had heard him mutter to himself. She hadn't. A frown crept into his face as he saw her body shaking. Aang's eyes grew wide. She was freezing to death. And she had been embracing him, so she would get warm. Quick as he could, he slipped out of her hands carefully so she wouldn't wake up. The rain had resumed falling and it made a loud and steady noise as it pounded happily on the roof of their tent. Aang couldn't help but wonder whether rain was the only thing that happened on this island. He peered out of the cave and looked around. It was wet, as expected, and cold. Despite that, Aang was grateful for the rain. It would make his plan so much easier. He put out his hands and slowly began to rotate them over each other. The raindrops that had been pounding happily at the ground slowed and stopped before following the movements of his hands. Aang continued to rotate his hands until he had a well-sized stream. It would be enough for his task. He floated the stream of water into the tent. Then he bent over Ty Lee. She was still shivering. Aang straigthened and rotated the water in his hands rapidly until it was warm. Then he bent over and began to heal her. Aang was surpisingly thorough, focusing carefully on each wound, making sure there would be no scars, just reddish skin that would eventually clear. After healing Ty Lee, Aang let out a breath and sat down. Slowly, he raised the water over his head. Then he closed his eyes and focused. His hands dropped but the water did not follow it. It stil floated behind him with a silent hum. Then it began to glow and heal and Aang let out a quiet moan. Sure, his wounds wouldn't heal as much Ty Lee's but they would heal nonetheless._

_Aang opened his eyes. His healing session was over and the last of the water had dripped down his newly healed back. Aang smiled to himself and got up and he instantly felt better. He looked at Ty Lee again. She was still shivering. ' She must be really cold '. Aang let out a sigh before he left the tent. The rain had faltered considerably but it still fell contentedly._

_Aang carefully ran to the nearest tree and looked around before he shot a gust of wind to the top of the tree. Then He waited. It would take a few seconds. Besides, the tree was a very tall one. Aang smiled as the first leaf fell. Then another fell. And another. Aang smiled again before catching the next blanket sized leaf that was merrily falling down. It would be enough. Aang ran back to the tent and bent the water out of the leaf. Then he laid down next to Ty Lee before covering her shivering body and his with the leafy blanket. Then he fell back to sleep with a smile on his face._

_And this time, his shoulders did not hurt._

_**Author's Note : That's it... For now... I don't really know 'bout this chapter... Please review and tell me what you think... Your reviews keep me writing... Oh and if you want, you can follow me on Twitter. My handle is MichaelDrac... Follow (if you want) and I'll be sure to follow you back...**_

_**TILL NEXT TIME... Tha' Drac Lord OUT !**_


	7. Hair Management And Kisses

_**Author's Note; I hope you liked the previous chapter... It was a bit rushed and I wrote it straight from my head so it may look different from the rest... Bear with me... Laptop is still unaccounted for... Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter...**_

_**Chapter 7 (Day 4)**_

_**Hair Management And Kisses**_

_Ty Lee woke up and blinked. She moaned quietly. She let out a small yawn before blinking again. Ty Lee was about to get up when she realised four things._

_One, she was lying on her back. _

_Two, said back did not hurt, not even a little. Yup, Ty Lee confirmed as she rubbed her back into the hard ground. Her back didn't hurt, at all._

_Three, her body from the stomach down was warm. Warm and covered with something that felt like a blanket. Maybe it's the same one she had used back at their cave. Maybe Aang had found their cave and brought it back for her._

_Finally, her head was nestled on someone's chest. She stiffened, her breath caught in her throat and her fists clenched slowly. She did not want to alert the person lying under her so she slowly raised her head off the person's chest. As soon as her head left the person's chest, she swung her head sharply to the left. Ty Lee released her fists and the breath she had been holding when she saw that it was Aang's chest she had woken up on. Ty Lee's body relaxed and she sighed slowly._

_Ty Lee sat up. She stretched her hand and felt her back. It was smooth. A confused frown formed on her face. Ty lee pushed the leafy blanket down and looked at her legs. They were also smooth. There were no bite marks or scars or blood. They had tinges of red but they were otherwise smooth. Ty Lee ran her hand over both legs just to be sure she wasn't imagining things. Her hands glided effortlessly down her legs and her fingertips tingled pleasantly. They were smooth and healed._

_Ty Lee checked all of her wounds and found them all healed. Her grin got wider and wider as she felt smooth and healed flesh where jagged and bleeding wounds had been. She turned and looked at Aang. He was awake and he was watching her with a sleepy look on his face. Ty Lee smirked before she bent her body forward and melded her lips with his._

_Aang had woken up a few seconds after Ty Lee. He had watched through hazy eyes as Ty Lee had checked her body all over with a wide grin on her face. Then she had turned and looked at him. And then she had kissed him._

_Aang was pretty sure his brain had exploded inside his head. Her lips felt soft and they tasted like strawberries. Aang felt as if the tent had blurred around him, the lights dimming and the sounds drowned by the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. And he was drowning too. Drowning in the rush of blood to his head-and other, more primitive places-in the heady and sexy scent of her skin. It was agonising when she drew back. He was rewarded however, when her soft strawberry flavoured lips curled slowly and irresistibly at the corners, turning into a wide, contented smile._

_"Good morning," she almost purred, reminding him of a small black cat that had just had its first taste of cream._

_Aang couldn't help but smile. His pulse was still racing and his blood was still pounding in his ears. He didn't know why she had kissed him but he knew he liked it. And he wanted her to do it again. Aang's smile progressed into a grin before he replied her, "Good morning Ty Lee."_

_Ty Lee grinned back before she rose to her feet. She turned and skipped out of the tent with an excited grin on her face."Come on." She called back as she hopped excitedly out of the confines of the tent into the open. It was bright and fine outside and Ty Lee's grin widened further. She hopped a few more feet before she wheeled around and watched with her hands on her hips as Aang emerged from the cave with a curious twinkle in his eyes. She watched as his eyes swept over her body from bottom to top. His head cocked to one side._

_"Your hairband has come undone." His voice sounded cheerful and lively._

_Ty Lee's hands immediately flew to her head. She had been in such a good mood that she had not noticed that her hair was now flowing in a free and unrestrained wave, instead of the usual tight, compact braid. She began to smooth it back with her hands. As she did, she began to reflect on the morning's events. The kiss had been the best part so far. She smirked as she held her hair above her head. Definitely the best part of the morning. And she was definitely going to kiss him again. But that would be during or after she attended to her hair, not before._

_"Where's the sea ?" She asked._

_"What ?"_

_"I said 'where's the sea ?' " She repeated with a faint giggle. Aang had a confused expression on his face._

_"Why do you want the sea ?"_

_Ty Lee giggled again, louder this time. "I don't want the sea. I want to wash my hair ."_

_"Oh ok, well the sea is umm that way" Aang pointed. Ty Lee nodded and began to walk in the direction he had pointed. Then she stopped when he realised he wasn't following her. She swivelled her body around before she called out. "Come on, I need your help with my hair ."_

_Aang was perpelexed for a few seconds. Why should she want him to help her with her hair ? He didn't have any. A quick rub of his head confirmed his thought. So what did he know about hair, let alone long complicated female hair like hers ? Why had she kissed him ? And why was she being so nice to him ? Aang didn't even get to voice his train of thought before he felt a hand pulling his. He snapped out of his stupor and let her lead the way, with his hand in hers. Aang took a deep breath._

_"Why did you kiss me ? ."_

_Ty Lee froze and turned slowly with an amused expression on her face. She had expected him to ask as soon as she had kissed him. He hadn't and Ty Lee had had a little time to figure out the answer she was going to give him. She smirked slowly before she pulled him close. Then she put her mouth near his left ear and whispered slowly, "I kissed you because I like you. Now shush and come help me with my hair or I'll kiss you again and carry you to the sea myself ."_

_Aang swallowed. Her voice sounded sensual and her breath on his neck and ear made him shiver. His breath was shaky and he mentally shook his head at the irony of an airbender being unable to breathe. Kind of like an waterbender that couldn't swim. Aang dismissed his runaway thoughts and swallowed again. "What makes you think you can carr-". His sentence was interrupted as Ty Lee kissed the rest of his sentence back into his re-exploding brain._

_Ty Lee smirked as she kissed him again. He had fallen into her trap. She closed her eyes and moaned appreciatively into the kiss. She pulled away and smirked again. "Time to carry you ." Quick as a flash, she bent down and scooped him up. For a few seconds, Ty Lee just stood there with a protesting Aang in her hands, then she giggled and toppled over and he fell on top of her. Ty Lee grinned. Aang was leaning over her body, using his hands as supports for his body. His eyes held a twinge of laughter and he was wearing a large smile._

_"So y-you l-like me ? ", he stuttered slowly. Ty Lee nodded affirmatively. Aang's voice sounded unsure. "So you won't m-mind if I do this ?" Slowly he brought his body down until his lips were a few millimeters away from hers, so close that she could almost feel them on hers. "No, I don't mind. In fact..."_

_Then she kissed him again and for the third time in one day, her lips blew what was left of his brain into smithereens. Aang pulled back slowly. "Good morning ", he breathed. Ty Lee giggled and smiled before she spoke._

_" Umm Aang ? "_

_" Yes ? "_

_" You're heavy "_

_Aang's eyes widened and he scrambled to his feet muttering apologies while Ty Lee grinned. He took a step back and extended his left hand. Ty Lee smirked and took it. As Aang pulled her up, she jumped and twisted around his body so she was now lodged firmly on his back._

_" I thought you were supposed to carry me ", Aang laughed. He turned his head to look at her and she planted a tiny kiss at the edge of his lips before pulling back. " I changed my mind. Now are you going to stand here kissing me all day or are you going to carry me to the sea ? "_

_"I'll carry you to the sea "_

_"Good, now MARCH ! "_

_"Yes ma'am. Though you might want to hold on "_

_Aang grinned before he took off as fast as he could with a giggling Ty Lee on his back._

_**Author's Note : I hope you like it though it seems kinda mushy-mushy to me. Review and you get a free muffin and a glass of milk. Ok, I lied. You don't actually get a glass of milk and/or muffin, but review anyway. Your suggestions are always welcome. One more thing; REVIEW !**_

_**P.S: Follow me on Twitter; MichaelDrac (if you want to) and I'll follow you back.**_

_**Till next time... Tha' Drac Lord OUT ...!**_


	8. Brown Eyes And Hair Knots

_**Author's note : Hi everyone... I've got no words to tell you guys how happy I am that you reviewed my mushy-mushy story... It means a lot... You guys rock... Thank you all...**_

_**My laptop's back but it's battery is dead and the charger has stopped working... So I'll have to keep writing with my phone until I buy, borrow or steal a new charger...**_

_**Ok then, in this chapter, things are goin' to take a sharp turn, (kinda)... But the storyline's pretty much the same... Ok then... On with the story... But before that...**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of it's characters... This is a non-profit publication, so don't sue... Please...?**_

_**Chapter 8 (Day 4)**_

_**Brown Eyes And Hair Knots**_

_Ty Lee was struggling not to giggle or laugh as she pounded Aang's back with her clenched fists. He was laughing, liberally too. Ty Lee was furious, or at least she was pretending to be. Aang had carried her on his back without complaint but when they had gotten to the sea, he had wickedly dropped her in the swelling waves and run off. Ty Lee had shrieked and given chase after him. She had caught him and now she was sitting on his back, exacting her revenge on him. Ty Lee was trying hard not to find the current situation amusing. It did not help that she most probably looked ridiculous, soaked to the skin. Or that he was still laughing hard, at her. Ty Lee growled and resumed her vicious attack on his back._

_After she had pounded his back to her satisfaction, Ty Lee got off his back with a contented sigh. " Now I'm all wet, thanks to you ", She whined._

_" You're welcome ", Aang grinned back. He blew a small gust of wind to the ground and floated lightly to his feet._

_Ty Lee tried to glare at him the way Azula did when she was angry at someone, which was usually all the time, but she knew she would end up smiling or grinning at him, and she did not want that, so she decided on something else._

_" I will get you back, Aang. I will get you back for this and I will have my revenge. " She said in her best Princess Azula imitation. For a second it seemed to have worked and fear, or was it worry played across his features. _

_" No you won't ", Aang beamed._

_Ty Lee guessed her half-hearted attempt to scare him had failed. After all, he was grinning and NO one grinned after Azula threatened them. Ty Lee had personally seen Azula's 'death glare', as she had secretly named it, caused a handful of messangers and servants to faint. There had been no grins or smiles. Just unconsciousness and drool._

_" Why won't I ? ", she asked._

_" You won't because you LIKE me ", He grinned._

_Ty Lee's heart almost leapt out of her throat. Her hands began to wringle each other and her bottom lip began to quiver slightly. Had he just said that ? OUT LOUD ? Ty Lee's wet cheeks began to redden and she lowered her head so Aang wouldn't see her crimson face._

_Aang watched with a small smile on his face as Ty Lee ducked her blushing face out of his view. He had expected her to do exactly what she was doing now. He walked up to her as silently as his wet shoes would allow. When his face was within a few centimeters of hers, he gently put his finger under her chin and raised her face up slowly._

_Her cheeks were crimson with embarrassment and her eyes were closed. Aang chuckled lightly._

_" Ty Lee, open your eyes "_

_Her eyelids slid up and Aang found himself drowning in the brown depths of her eyes. There was something about and in those eyes, that made him feel oddly relaxed. He found himself unable to tear his eyes away from hers. There was a myriad of emotions and thoughts in her eyes and they were clear and expressive. Like she was. Not hidden and deceitful like other fire nation citizens he had come across. Her eyes held no secrets or lies. They were honest and transparent. Aang finally managed, with much effort, to tear his eyes away from her own. And he began to regret it. His eyes swept past her cute little nose and now they were focused on something else-her lips. Lips that, if memory served, were soft and tasted like warm strawberries. Lips that had curled up in delight, not disgust or disdain after kissing him. His eyes noted the dips and curves of her lips. Dips and curves that had fit his perfectly and passionately. Aang swallowed. He watched helplessly as her curvy lips slowly contorted themselves into a wickedly beautiful smirk. Aang swallowed again._

_Ty Lee couldn't help herself. The look she had found on his face after opening his eyes at his request had confused her. She followed his eyes with hers as they drifted over her face. They stopped at her lips, and Ty Lee watched as Aang just stood there staring at her mouth intently. The master acrobat couldn't help herself from smirking._

_" Aang...? "_

_" Huh...? ", he wasn't even paying attention. Or pretending like he was. His eyes were still glued to her lips. Ty Lee's smirk grew as a wicked plan formed in her head._

_" Aren't you going to help me wash my lips ? ", she deliberately asked with a wicked grin on her face._

_" I'll help you wash your lips ", Aang repeated in a robot-like fashion. Then he stopped when he realized what he was saying. " WAIT! NO! Your teeth. NO! Your head. HAIR! I'll help you wash your hair ."_

_Ty Lee giggled and covered her mouth with her hand as he yelled hysterically. He could be so funny at times. Especially when she was toying with him. Ty Lee shook her head faintly before she turned and skipped to the lapping waves with a grin on her face that she didn't want him to see._

_" Come on ", she called over her shoulder. " Let's get started ."_

_Aang watched with fascination as she bounded playfully away. He marvelled at the joy and mirth that always seemed to accompany her. There was this air and aura about her that was just so bright and cheerful. She held no negativity and anger. Aang wasn't even sure she was capable of true anger. And for some strange reason, he liked that. Aang shook his head as a small smile spread across his face. He really liked that, he thought as he moved in the direction of the girl with the long ponytail._

_Aang was never more grateful that he didn't have hair on his head. He let out a frustrated groan and he heard a faint chuckle from her. He let out a breath before he tried again to unbraid a particularly difficult portion of her braid. No success. He had managed, with her surprisingly detailed instructions, to unravel the end of her braid. He had earnestly continued unbraiding her sliky hair. He had been halfway through when he had found out that her hair was not going to make this easy for him. Now he was up against the thick and tight part of her braid close to her head and he was losing. As much as he was trying, and believe him, he was, his efforts were resulting in failure. And he was getting frustrated. He didn't know why he was getting frustrated because of a stubborn braid. But he just knew that he was. He could, he thought, give up and leave her hair the way it was. But that would be wrong and he knew she wouldn't like that. For some strange reason, the second reason seemed to matter more to him than the first. Aang shook his head._

_" Umm, Ty Lee...? ", he started timidly._

_" Yes...? ", her voice sounded unnaturally calm, as if she was trying too hard to keep her voice straight._

_" I umm, I th-think I'm stuck ", he stammered._

_" Stuck...? "_

_" Umm, yeah ", he admitted._

_Ty Lee chuckled on her earthen seat that he had bent for her before she raised her hands behind her head. She felt around for the cause of his trouble and when she found it, another chuckle escaped her lips. It was a small hair knot. No, make that two hair knots. Ty Lee tugged on it systematically and stopped. Then she dropped her hair and she extended her hands past her head, looking for his. She found his surprisingly soft hands and pulled them gently towards her knotted hair, ignoring the sound of protest he made and the pleasurable feeling that was coursing through her hands from contact with his. She placed his hands on her hair and explained in a very calm voice how he could safely and gently loosen the knot without yanking her hair out. All of a sudden, his hands slipped out of hers and Ty Lee heard a thud behind her. Ty Lee spun around on her seat and saw Aang lying on his back, looking as pale as her legs the day she had left them out in the rain. Panic shot through her and her hands began to shake. She got down and on her knees next to his chest and shook his body gently._

_" A-Aang ? ", her voice was shaky and laden with fear. No response. What was happening to him ? Was he dead ? Why was he lying on the ground looking like he was dead ? Why was he pale ? Why was h-. A deep and beastly growl interrupted her panic-striken thoughts._

_Ty Lee raised her head and looked towards the direction the growl had come from and saw something that took her breath away._

_**Ok... That's it, for now... I don't know whether the last line qualified as a cliffhanger... But I do know I want you to review... Please...**_

_**Oh and uh I know nothing 'bout hair... I mean I can make a wicked braid every blue moon but that's how much I know... I don't even know what a hair knot is... All I know is you have to take them out or they'll screw up your hair... I'm fairly certain you need a comb or fork to loosen braids but hey * shrugs *...**_

_**Oh and I want to clarify the ages of the characters... Aang is like 16 (116, if you count the 100 year nap... I wish I could nap for a 100 years) Katara should be like a few months older, Sokka should be about 18, Toph 15 and Ty Lee should be 16, give or take... Note that these ages are for this fic... They are not the actual ages of the characters...**_

_**I have the next chapter written (in my mind)... I'll finish it, write it out and post it pretty soon... Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter... Your suggestions are always welcome... You can post suggestions as reviews or you can PM them to me...**_

_**P.S... Review ! REVIEW ! REVIEW !**_

_**Till next chapter... Tha' Drac Lord out...**_


	9. The Ride

_**I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry...**_

_**I've been sittin' around talking to the moon for about a week or so with literally nothin' in my head to write... The chapter I said I had written in my head just vanished like POOF and I've been looking everywhere for it... All that coupled with preparations for my high school prom (which went well, despite the spiked punch) and my STUPID laptop refusin' to cooperate... All in all I'm terribly sorry for this horrendously late update... FORGIVE ME !**_

_**This chapter is goin' to be a bit weird... Just bear with me... It gets better... I think...**_

_**WARNING: in this chapter, almost all my OC's appear, so it might confuse you a little... Don't worry. I have each character's character (that sounded so weird) planned out...**_

_**Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... On with the story... But before that...**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of it's characters... This is a non-profit publication, so don't sue... Please...?**_

_**Chapter 9 (Day 4)**_

_**The Ride To The Mansion**_

_**(Tigerdillos And Werewolves)**_

_Ty Lee's breath caught in her throat and her body stiffened. Her face paled and a small shiver of fear ran down her spine. She blinked slowly, foolishly hoping that the creature would be gone by the time she opened her eyes. She opened her eyes. Nope, it was still there. Ty Lee slowly and calmly raised her hands off Aang's unconscious body. She did not want to startle the menacing creature and provoke it to attack. Ty Lee rose to her feet and, with her hands now above her head, moved a few steps away, slowly. Taking a silent and deep breath, she tried to calm her skyrocketing nerves._

_Ty Lee was shocked. 'What was a fully grown tigerdillo doing here? Were there more? Aren't tigerdillos only found in areas that provide a suitable and steady supply of food? So why would a fully grown tigerdillo be on a desearted island? An island that only housed fierce wolfhounds that would compete with it?' Ty Lee snapped out of her train of thought and re-aligned her focus on the ferocious creature in front of her._

_Ty Lee slowly ran her eyes over the ferocious creature that was standing a few metres away. It was large, like the rest of it's kind, and most of the top of it's body was covered by horny plates of armor. It's face was creased in a menacing growl and it's mouth was filled with gleaming white teeth. It had well-muscled limbs that ended in razor-sharp claws. Claws that could rend her body into pieces effortlessly. Ty Lee swallowed and unconsciously took a wary step back. A small shudder ran through her body and her legs began to shake slightly. _

_Ty Lee was confused now. The tigerdillo hadn't attacked yet. And it didn't look like it intended to do so anytime soon. At first she thought the beast was assessing her as an opponent and waiting for the right time to attack, like Princess Azula did when she sparred, but after a few minutes had passed with little or no activity, Ty Lee's confusion began to bubble. It was just standing a few feet away, watching her intently with eyes that sent tendrils of fear curling around her body. 'Why is it just standing there? And why is it looking at me? Or maybe it is looking at Aang? Maybe it wants Aang ?' The thought caused Ty Lee to carefully and slowly turn her head to observe the still unconscious airbender. His chest wasn't moving and that could only mean one thing. He wasn't breathing. A small incoherent sound escaped Ty Lee's throat and the thought to run over to where Aang lay unconscious on the sandy ground, to see what was wrong with him crossed her mind, but as much as she wanted to, she couldn't. Unless she wanted to be tigerdillo chow. It was probably waiting for her to move so it could attack. Ty Lee slowly turned her head back to face the the creature only to see it staring at Aang with a hungry expression in it's eyes. Anger shot through her. Maybe she SHOULD provoke the tigerdillo and fight it._

_It was a good idea. An excellent idea. It had just one flaw._

_She, as good as she knew she was, was no match for a tigerdillo._

_The wolfhounds compared to this creature were fluffy housecats, and they had nearly killed her. She had survived only because of Aang. This animal in front of her was stronger, faster and more dangerous than those three wolfhounds joined together and those wolfhounds had still put up a serious fight. They had even wounded Aang and he was the avatar. So she would most definitely be at a big, no HUGE disadvantage if she decided to fight this tigerdillo off. Fighting a fully grown tigerdillo under normal circumstances was a suicide mission in itself. Doing it while making sure said tigerdillo did not hurt Aang who was still, by the looks of it, unconscious was borderline impossible._

_Ty Lee glanced at Aang again and was relieved when she saw that his chest had now begun to rise and fall, although it was doing so at a very, very slow pace. Ty Lee turned her head to face the tigerdillo again and slowly clenched her fists._

_'THAT TEARS IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!'_

_The animal seemed to have heard her infuriated thoughts as a deep warning growl began to emanate from it's mouth._

_Suddenly she heard a voice yelling._

_"Kiwa ! Kiwa! Kiwa!"_

_A female human voice. A voice that belonged to someone yelling at the top of her lungs. _

_Ty Lee's eyes widened in shock. She had assumed that the island was uninhabited. 'Who else was on the island ? Who was this 'Kiwa' person ? And who and why was this female person looking for her ? Were there others on the island ? How had they survived ? Why were they he-_

_"Kiwa !"_

_Ty Lee swung her head in a wide arc, looking for the owner of the yelling female voice. She saw no one but the voice was getting louder meaning the yelling person was getting closer. That or she was yelling louder. Ty Lee looked around one more time and wondered whether or not she was imagining things. Suddenly without warning, the tigerdillo that Ty Lee had completely forgotten about let out a roar. Ty Lee was stunned. It wasn't too loud a roar but it had been loud enough to stun her out of her wandering mind. Ty Lee looked at the tigerdillo. It looked no different. It was still in the same position, with the same expression on it's feral face. Ty Lee blinked. She was confused. She did not understand what was going on. 'Who was Kiwa ? And who was the pers- Then she saw them._

_Two of them._

_Two human beings._

_Two teenage human beings. A guy and a girl. Ty Lee blinked again to be sure she wasn't just imagining things. No. She wasn't. They were still there. Actually they were closer now and they had not yet noticed her. Then it happened. In an instant, the tigerdillo whipped around and leapt at the girl. Ty Lee's heart flew to her throat as she watched in horror as the tigerdillo crashed into the girl and knocked her over. Ty Lee involuntarily let out a small scream. Then she stopped. The girl was hugging the creature that had leapt at her. And she was laughing. The boy was looking at the two on the ground with a small smile on his face. Ty Lee just stood there nonplussed. Who hugs and plays with a tigerdillo like a pet and laughs while doing it? Ty Lee's mouth involuntarily fell open. The tigerdillo was purring pleasantly as the laughing girl stroked it's head and back._

_"Kiwa, you naughty girl", the girl said in a pleasant voice. "Why did you run off like that?"_

_The tigerdillo chuffed in apology and glanced towards Ty Lee. The girl's eyes followed her beloved pet's movements and her stroking hand froze. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise and her left eyebrow slanted upwards. Her companion had the same surprised expression on his face. The girl nudged her beloved tigerdillo aside and rose to her feet. Then she began to advance tentatively. Ty Lee stiffened and raised her re-clenched fists in front of her, wordlessly announcing her intentions to defend herself._

_"We're not here to harm you."_

_Ty Lee started. It was the boy that had spoken. He had a pleasant voice. Or maybe that was what he wanted her to think. This was a trick of some sorts. This was a-._

_"We were sent to find the avatar ." _

_As soon she heard Aang's title, Ty Lee remembered that he was still lying on the floor. Blowing all caution to the wind and completely forgetting the two, no make that three possible assailants in front of her, Ty Lee turned and dashed over to where Aang was and knelt at his side. She glanced at his chest and was relieved to see that he was still breathing._

_"Is that him", the boy asked. "Is that the avatar?"_

_Ty Lee barely heard him. Aang's breathing pace was slowing. His breaths were coming in short raw gasps, as if he was in pain. Ty Lee was worried. Something bad was happening to him. She quickly appraised his body with her eyes and saw nothing unusual. Nothing at all. 'Maybe it was an Avatar thing ?' Tears began to sting her eyes. He had to get better! She owed her current status as a living human being to Aang and she didn't know how she'd feel if anything bad happened to him. The sting of tears began to heighten. Ty Lee turned to the boy that had spoken to her._

_"Help him", her voice sounded wretched and tearful. "Please."_

_"What's wrong with him?"_

_"I don't know. He just fainted", she began to sob. "Please just help him."_

_The boy nodded and walked over to Aang's limp body. He bent down and scooped Aang up like he was carrying a sleeping child. Then he turned and said something to the girl. She nodded silently and all of a sudden, from nowhere, a large stone sled broke out of the ground before Ty Lee's eyes. She was astonished. No one had made any bending movements. No had jumped up and jammed their foot or hand into the ground or anything. It was almost as if the sled had just crashed out of the ground of it's own volition. The boy nodded and said something else Ty Lee didn't hear to the girl before he walked over, with Aang in his arms, to where she was standing with her pet. He said or rather whispered something to her before he turned and carefully dropped Aang on the sled. As soon as the boy dropped Aang's back on the sled, the girl took off into the forest without so much as a word. The boy seemed unfazed. Instead, he barked something incomprehensible to his companion's pet. The tigerdillo spared a look at Ty Lee before it took off into the forest too, presumably after the girl._

_The boy stepped onto the sled and motioned at Ty Lee with his outstretched hand. "Come on."_

_Ty Lee did not spare a moment. She wiped her teary face, rose to her feet, leapt forward and landed neatly on the sled. She knelt down next to Aang and put her hands on his chest. He was taking short laborious breaths and his body was quivering slightly. Ty Lee's worries were doubling now. 'Something very bad was happening to him. Something that ha-' A loud rumble interrupted her worried thoughts and the sled began to vibrate steadily. Ty Lee raised her head to see what was causing the noise and was stunned. They were no more at the beach. The sled was now cruising on the ground through the forest, weaving in between trees swiftly. Ty Lee looked at the boy. He was standing at the front of the sled. His body was bent forward, his right leg was bent at the knee in front and his left leg was extended behind him. His fisted hands were behind his back. Ty Lee glanced quizzically at him. He had a clean and youthful face, from what she could see kneeling behind him. He was tall, not too tall though he easily stood over her. He had short jet black hair and honey-complexioned skin. He was clad in dark green, body-fitting clothes. A pair of pants, black boots, a shirt whose long sleeves were folded at his elbows. 'So he's an earthbender', Ty Lee thought. He looked young and strong. Ty Lee's curiousity spun into confusion. 'What was he doing here? And who was the other girl?'_

_'I'll find out later. I just need to take things one step at a time'. Having decided that, Ty Lee turned her attention back to Aang. He was lying limply on the sled and he had gotten worse. Now he was letting out small groans and grunts of pain. Ty Lee carefully raised his head off the sled and settled it on her lap. It seemed to have helped as his groans faltered and his features relaxed a little. Ty Lee cupped his face and brushed off a small speck of dirt that had found it's way to his left cheek. Ty Lee at first did not register when the sled began to slow down until it just stopped. Then she noticed and looked up. The boy that had been controlling the sled had jumped off already. Ty Lee looked around to see why they had stopped. When she saw them, Ty Lee couldn't help the gasp that escaped her._

_They were surrounded. By wolfhounds. And the girl that had run into the forest earlier was seated regally on one of the wolfhounds. Ty Lee looked at the girl but she didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she was sitting on a deadly creature. Her pet tigerdillo was standing beside her on the ground. It looked as if they had been waiting. Ty Lee apprehensively looked at the wolfhounds. They looked a bit different from the ones that had attacked them before. They were six of them. They were huge and most of them were coloured various shades of brown. Except for one in front of her. It was coloured slightly darker than the rest of it's counterparts. It also looked bigger than the rest and had a certain air about it that conveyed it's authority and power to all. The boy was standing in front of it and he was actually talking to it! Ty Lee was stunned beyond words. 'What in Agni's name was going on here ?' Ty Lee glanced around furtively before she settled her gaze back on the boy. She was about to speak and ask him what was happening when he turned and spoke._

_"Umm, we're here. That's the avatar", he pointed at Aang. "Let's go"_

_As soon as he finished his statement, everyone including the wolfhounds that had been standing as still as stone, jerked to life. The boy walked over briskly to the sled and Ty Lee clenched her fists and a hard look covered her face. She knew she didn't stand a chance against anyone in her current state, but she resolved to go down with a sword in her hand. The observant boy noticed her silent warning and stopped. He straightened and spoke._

_"I'm sorry if this is a bit overwhelming for you. I sometimes forget myself. My name is Zaru", he motioned around, "And these werewolves are good friends of ours. "That's Lai and her twin Lia, Xieng, Tora and that's Ming over there." Zaru motioned to each werewolf with his right hand and a small nod as he introduced them, and each werewolf in turn acknowledged it's name with a small nod. The twins even nodded together. "That", he pointed to the girl seated queen-like on the werewolf introduced as Ming, "Is Karai and her pet tigerdillo Kiwa."_

_Ty Lee had a shocked look on her face. 'Am I hallucinating or something ? This is just- She remembered her decision to take things one step at a time. But this, this was happening in a flood no make that TSUNAMI of steps. Was there no end to the strangeness of events that happened on this island?! First there had been freak storms, then wolfhounds that wanted to kill her, Aang in the avatar state, getting lost, morning kisses (Ty Lee didn't think the kissing part was weird, that was me), Aang collapsing for no reason, a tigerdillo named Kiwa, Zaru and Karai, and now werewolves. Ty Lee had lived a very simple life in the circus. Even after Azula had recruited her, things had still been simple. This-this was a bit too much for her. Ty Lee took a calming breath and reasoned that she freaking out would not be good. At all. Especially since Aang was still unconscious. Ty Lee silently vowed to handle her current situation to the best of her ability._

_Ty Lee slowly and carefully raised Aang's head off her lap. He groaned at the sudden discomfort but Ty Lee ignored him because there were more pressing matters at hand. She stood up slowly and put her hands together in the traditional greeting gesture of her homeland._

_"My name's Ty Lee." _

_The boy, along with the werewolves gave a respectful bow. The largest werewolf stepped forward._

_"My name is Kuruk. I am the leader of this pack and I welcome you, young one." His voice was deep and very strong. Like the voice of a umm well werewolf. His eyes were brilliant blue and they had an unnatural glow about them. "It would delight me greatly to stand here and exchange pleasantries, young one, but your friend, the avatar is in serious need of help."_

_Ty Lee blinked in shock for the umpteenth time that day. 'Did a werewolf just talk to her?' Ty Lee shook her head slowly and stepped back. It was beginning to look like her plan to handle things without freaking out or losing her mind would be harder than she imagined. Zaru moved past her and carried Aang while Ty Lee just watched with a dumbstruck expression on her face. He hefted Aang's body into his arms and turned around. He walked beside Kuruk and carefully deposited his body on the huge werewolf's back. Kuruk's deep voice rumbled again. "Ty Lee, for the sake of your friend, you will have to come with us."_

_"Go wha- Go where ?", Ty Lee stammered._

_"Just hop on his back. You'll see." Zaru's smile was smug, like he knew something she didn't. "C'mon, we have to go. Fast."_

_Ty Lee swallowed and looked at Aang draped over Kuruk's large back. She would have to go with them, so they could help him. After all she owed Aang her life. He had saved her from the deadly werewolves so it was only fair she played a part in helping him. So this was for him. Ty Lee warily walked over to the werewolf and stopped._

_"Just hop on.", Zaru's cheerful voice called out. Ty Lee swung her head around and saw him seated on Xieng, or was that Lai? Ty Lee turned and swallowed again. Then she mounted the werewolf. His back felt warm and strong. _

_"Whenever you're ready.", Ty Lee could feel the werewolf's back vibrating as he spoke. Ty Lee put her hand on Aang's body to steady herself._

_"I'm ready."_

_As soon as the words left her mouth, Kuruk took off in a noisy blur._

_Ty Lee had never been on the back of a bolt of lightening before but she was pretty sure this creature beneath her was just as fast. Maybe even faster, despite it's enormous size. The large creature had to be flying. Ty Lee hunched her body forward and lowered her eyelids until she was looking from behind her eyelashes. The trees and bushes were blurring past her at an unimaginable speed. Ty Lee turned her head to the left and saw Zaru on Xieng (or Lai) a few feet away. She turned her head to the right and saw Karai on Ming blurring beside her. Beside them, Kiwa ran with something that could loosely be called a grin on her feral face. Ty Lee couldn't help but grin too._

_If someone had told her that she would get a ride on the back of a werewolf and that she would enjoy it too, Ty Lee wouldn't have believed them. She didn't even know that werewolves actually existed. But they did. And she WAS getting a ride on the back of a werewolf. And spirits she WAS enjoying it. Ty Lee swung her head backwards and saw the remaining werewolves running behind them. Then for no apparent reason, Kuruk began to slow his pace. Ty Lee looked around to see why the large werewolf was slowing but she saw nothing that would have caused the decrease in speed. Then from behind, Lai and Lia ( Ty Lee knew now they were the twins because they ran alike) dashed to the front. Now Lai and Lia were in front, Ming and Xieng at the sides, Kuruk in the middle and Tora at the back. Ty Lee looked at the positions of the running werewolves and a small frown crossed her face. There was something oddly familiar about the positioning of the werewolves. It was almost as if they were- Ty Lee stopped then and there and looked down at Aang. Then it hit her. The werewolves had switched from running randomly to running in a defensive formation. That's why Kuruk had slowed down and let the twins pass him. Lia and Lai would be the defensive shield in the eventuality of attack, Xieng and Ming with Karai and Zaru the offensive retaliation, Tora would be the reinforcement while Kuruk would keep Aang safe._

_The twins began to slow down and the reduction in speed worked it's way backwards until all the werewolves were now running at a human pace. Then the twins skidded to a stop. The rest of the pack followed suit. Ty Lee looked at Zaru and then Karai. They were just as confused as she was. Kiwa began growling viciously. She seemed to be growling at something in the bushes to the right. Ty Lee looked at the twins. They both sniffed the air at the same time and swung their heads to the right. Then they both uttered one word with their unsurprisingly identical voices._

_"Wolfhounds."_

_Ty Lee stiffened. She glanced around apprehensively. There were no wolfhounds in sight. Yet, but that could easily change at any moment._

_"Go."_

_Ty Lee paused. Kuruk's voice sounded hard and almost angry. Ty Lee barely had time to ask what was going on when the pack leader surged forward. At the same time, the twins and Kiwa darted into the woods on the right._

_Ty Lee was afraid now. She didn't think it was possible for the large werewolf to run any faster than before. But now she realized fearfully, that she was wrong. The werewolves were basically arrows from bows with the way they were running now. Ty Lee had to press down on Aang's back with her chest so they wouldn't get blown off the werewolf. She looked at Karai. Karai was also pressed forward. Ty Lee swallowed and looked ahead again, praying silently to the spirits that this unusual journey would end soon._

_As if the spirits had heard her, the werewolves began to slow down. Again. Ty Lee raised her body off the still unconscious airbender and saw a large compound a few hundred yards away. Kuruk suddenly skidded to a stop. Ty Lee jerked forward and she had to push on Aang's body to keep herself from flying off the werewolf's back. Ty Lee looked at the rest of their entourage and then frowned. All the werewolves had stopped at the same point, like there was a line or boundary telling them to do so. Ty Lee heard soft footfalls as Zaru and Karai dismounted. She took the hint and dismounted too. Zaru came over and helped her drag Aang's body off the werewolf. The werewolf that seemed to be in a hurry. Ty Lee suspected that it had something to do with the twins and the wolfhounds they had mentioned._

_Kuruk confirmed her suspicions with his short farewell. "I would love to stay and assist in any way I can, young one, but there is an urgent matter that I must attend to. Zaru, give my regards to Xen and Lin for me. Tell them I'll come when I can." And with that he and the rest of the pack turned and dashed away._

_While Ty Lee just stood there gawking at the place where the large furry werewolves had stood. Zaru and Karai, on the other hand wasted no time at all. They promptly turned and ran towards the castle, Zaru still carrying Aang in his arms. Ty Lee whipped her head around. 'Why were the runn- AANG ! Ty Lee jerked to life and tore after the running duo. They got to a rock wall that opened on it's own to admit the running teenagers. Ty Lee did not falter. She had to ensure that Aang would be fine. She didn't care if she was foolishly charging into a trap. Yet somehow, she didn't believe that this was a trap. They ran past the mansion walls into the courtyard. Ty Lee didn't even spare a look around. She kept her eyes on Aang's head as it bobbed up and down with Zaru's movements._

_They turned left and came into view of a large building. Karai suddenly jerked to the front and Ty Lee took this as a hint that their run was almost over. She was tired but she wasn't going to stop now. Not for anything. Karai got to the double doors first and she literally punched them open._

_"I'll get father!", she yelled._

_Zaru basically flew into the building and Ty Lee followed hot on his heels. Zaru's blinding speed began to reduce as he ran into a long windowless corridor. His voice began to ring out. "Mother ! Mother ! Mother !"_

_He got to a T junction of corridors and Ty Lee could clearly hear a responding female voice to the right. He heard it too and charged to the right. Ty Lee followed faithfully. They burst through the only door at the end of the corridor and came into a small room. There was a woman in the room, and as soon as Zaru entered, she collected Aang from him and deposited him neatly on the nearest bed. Zaru, without pausing, turned and ran out without even taking a moment to regain his breath. Ty Lee did not know why Zaru had not yet collpased from exhaustion. After all, he had run for almost five minutes without stopping and he had been carrying Aang the entire time. 'He must be really strong.' Ty Lee on the other hand was out of breath. She rested her palms on her knees and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart, keeping her eyes on Aang the entire time._

_The woman didn't even look at Ty Lee. She, with her surprisingly strong hands, ripped Aang's tunic open and Ty Lee's eyes automatically began to search his body for anything unusual. And there was something unusual. Two large dark blotches were on his back. Right on the shoulders. The same place where the wolfhounds had attacked him. Ty Lee let out a small whimper. The woman heard and looked at her. At first the woman looked at her curiously, then a new look slid into place on her face. A grim look._

_"What did this ?", the woman asked._

_Ty Lee couldn't help but her notice that the woman had said 'What' not 'Who'. Disregarding that, she replied. "Wolfhounds."_

_The woman nodded and carefull turned Aang over so he was lying on his stomach. She turned and walked over to a table covered with bowls and bottles near the wall and began to mix something in a small mixing bowl. Ty Lee couldn't tell whether or not Aang was breathing. She didn't even know whether he was still alive. Ty Lee looked at the woman. She had turned away from her mixing and was now looking past Ty Lee as if there was something behind her. Ty Lee turned and saw Karai walking into the room. A man entered immediately after Karai did._

_The man smiled. "Hello, Ty Lee."_

_**And that's it..**_

_**For now...**_

_**I apologise once again for my late update... The last of high school (Graduation) is behind me. Now I'm just another 16 year old that has finished high school...**_

_**About the werewolves... They're like the ones in Twilight... Y'know, tall dark and dangerous... What can I say...? I love Twilight... I'm especially in love with the werewolves... How they run and attack as one single, organized body... So I borrowed that idea (and a few werewolves) and used it... But that's all I borrowed... There will be no vampires, hybrids, newborns or anything like that... Drac promise...**_

_**Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter... I know it's a bit confusing... But that's what I got...**_

_**The next chapter will explain pretty much everyone's origins...**_

_**Review ! Review ! Review !**_

_**Oh and one more thing... I can't believe I forgot to say this at the beginning... REVIEW !**_

_**Til' Next Chapter...**_

_**Tha' Drac Lord out !**_


	10. Origin

_**I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry...**_

_**I've been sittin' around talking to the moon for about a week or so with literally nothin' in my head to write... The chapter I said I had written in my head just vanished like POOF and I've been looking everywhere for it... All that coupled with preparations for my high school prom (which went well, despite the spiked punch) and my STUPID laptop refusin' to cooperate... All in all I'm terribly sorry for this horrendously late update... FORGIVE ME !**_

_**This chapter is goin' to be a bit weird... Just bear with me... It gets better... I think...**_

_**WARNING: in this chapter, almost all my OC's appear, so it might confuse you a little... Don't worry. I have each character's character (that sounded so weird) planned out...**_

_**Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... On with the story... But before that...**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of it's characters... This is a non-profit publication, so don't sue... Please...?**_

_**Chapter 9 (Day 4)**_

_**The Ride To The Mansion**_

_**(Tigerdillos And Werewolves)**_

_Ty Lee's breath caught in her throat and her body stiffened. Her face paled and a small shiver of fear ran down her spine. She blinked slowly, foolishly hoping that the creature would be gone by the time she opened her eyes. She opened her eyes. Nope, it was still there. Ty Lee slowly and calmly raised her hands off Aang's unconscious body. She did not want to startle the menacing creature and provoke it to attack. Ty Lee rose to her feet and, with her hands now above her head, moved a few steps away, slowly. Taking a silent and deep breath, she tried to calm her skyrocketing nerves._

_Ty Lee was shocked. 'What was a fully grown tigerdillo doing here? Were there more? Aren't tigerdillos only found in areas that provide a suitable and steady supply of food? So why would a fully grown tigerdillo be on a desearted island? An island that only housed fierce wolfhounds that would compete with it?' Ty Lee snapped out of her train of thought and re-aligned her focus on the ferocious creature in front of her._

_Ty Lee slowly ran her eyes over the ferocious creature that was standing a few metres away. It was large, like the rest of it's kind, and most of the top of it's body was covered by horny plates of armor. It's face was creased in a menacing growl and it's mouth was filled with gleaming white teeth. It had well-muscled limbs that ended in razor-sharp claws. Claws that could rend her body into pieces effortlessly. Ty Lee swallowed and unconsciously took a wary step back. A small shudder ran through her body and her legs began to shake slightly. _

_Ty Lee was confused now. The tigerdillo hadn't attacked yet. And it didn't look like it intended to do so anytime soon. At first she thought the beast was assessing her as an opponent and waiting for the right time to attack, like Princess Azula did when she sparred, but after a few minutes had passed with little or no activity, Ty Lee's confusion began to bubble. It was just standing a few feet away, watching her intently with eyes that sent tendrils of fear curling around her body. 'Why is it just standing there? And why is it looking at me? Or maybe it is looking at Aang? Maybe it wants Aang ?' The thought caused Ty Lee to carefully and slowly turn her head to observe the still unconscious airbender. His chest wasn't moving and that could only mean one thing. He wasn't breathing. A small incoherent sound escaped Ty Lee's throat and the thought to run over to where Aang lay unconscious on the sandy ground, to see what was wrong with him crossed her mind, but as much as she wanted to, she couldn't. Unless she wanted to be tigerdillo chow. It was probably waiting for her to move so it could attack. Ty Lee slowly turned her head back to face the the creature only to see it staring at Aang with a hungry expression in it's eyes. Anger shot through her. Maybe she SHOULD provoke the tigerdillo and fight it._

_It was a good idea. An excellent idea. It had just one flaw._

_She, as good as she knew she was, was no match for a tigerdillo._

_The wolfhounds compared to this creature were fluffy housecats, and they had nearly killed her. She had survived only because of Aang. This animal in front of her was stronger, faster and more dangerous than those three wolfhounds joined together and those wolfhounds had still put up a serious fight. They had even wounded Aang and he was the avatar. So she would most definitely be at a big, no HUGE disadvantage if she decided to fight this tigerdillo off. Fighting a fully grown tigerdillo under normal circumstances was a suicide mission in itself. Doing it while making sure said tigerdillo did not hurt Aang who was still, by the looks of it, unconscious was borderline impossible._

_Ty Lee glanced at Aang again and was relieved when she saw that his chest had now begun to rise and fall, although it was doing so at a very, very slow pace. Ty Lee turned her head to face the tigerdillo again and slowly clenched her fists._

_'THAT TEARS IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!'_

_The animal seemed to have heard her infuriated thoughts as a deep warning growl began to emanate from it's mouth._

_Suddenly she heard a voice yelling._

_"Kiwa ! Kiwa! Kiwa!"_

_A female human voice. A voice that belonged to someone yelling at the top of her lungs. _

_Ty Lee's eyes widened in shock. She had assumed that the island was uninhabited. 'Who else was on the island ? Who was this 'Kiwa' person ? And who and why was this female person looking for her ? Were there others on the island ? How had they survived ? Why were they he-_

_"Kiwa !"_

_Ty Lee swung her head in a wide arc, looking for the owner of the yelling female voice. She saw no one but the voice was getting louder meaning the yelling person was getting closer. That or she was yelling louder. Ty Lee looked around one more time and wondered whether or not she was imagining things. Suddenly without warning, the tigerdillo that Ty Lee had completely forgotten about let out a roar. Ty Lee was stunned. It wasn't too loud a roar but it had been loud enough to stun her out of her wandering mind. Ty Lee looked at the tigerdillo. It looked no different. It was still in the same position, with the same expression on it's feral face. Ty Lee blinked. She was confused. She did not understand what was going on. 'Who was Kiwa ? And who was the pers- Then she saw them._

_Two of them._

_Two human beings._

_Two teenage human beings. A guy and a girl. Ty Lee blinked again to be sure she wasn't just imagining things. No. She wasn't. They were still there. Actually they were closer now and they had not yet noticed her. Then it happened. In an instant, the tigerdillo whipped around and leapt at the girl. Ty Lee's heart flew to her throat as she watched in horror as the tigerdillo crashed into the girl and knocked her over. Ty Lee involuntarily let out a small scream. Then she stopped. The girl was hugging the creature that had leapt at her. And she was laughing. The boy was looking at the two on the ground with a small smile on his face. Ty Lee just stood there nonplussed. Who hugs and plays with a tigerdillo like a pet and laughs while doing it? Ty Lee's mouth involuntarily fell open. The tigerdillo was purring pleasantly as the laughing girl stroked it's head and back._

_"Kiwa, you naughty girl", the girl said in a pleasant voice. "Why did you run off like that?"_

_The tigerdillo chuffed in apology and glanced towards Ty Lee. The girl's eyes followed her beloved pet's movements and her stroking hand froze. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise and her left eyebrow slanted upwards. Her companion had the same surprised expression on his face. The girl nudged her beloved tigerdillo aside and rose to her feet. Then she began to advance tentatively. Ty Lee stiffened and raised her re-clenched fists in front of her, wordlessly announcing her intentions to defend herself._

_"We're not here to harm you."_

_Ty Lee started. It was the boy that had spoken. He had a pleasant voice. Or maybe that was what he wanted her to think. This was a trick of some sorts. This was a-._

_"We were sent to find the avatar ." _

_As soon she heard Aang's title, Ty Lee remembered that he was still lying on the floor. Blowing all caution to the wind and completely forgetting the two, no make that three possible assailants in front of her, Ty Lee turned and dashed over to where Aang was and knelt at his side. She glanced at his chest and was relieved to see that he was still breathing._

_"Is that him", the boy asked. "Is that the avatar?"_

_Ty Lee barely heard him. Aang's breathing pace was slowing. His breaths were coming in short raw gasps, as if he was in pain. Ty Lee was worried. Something bad was happening to him. She quickly appraised his body with her eyes and saw nothing unusual. Nothing at all. 'Maybe it was an Avatar thing ?' Tears began to sting her eyes. He had to get better! She owed her current status as a living human being to Aang and she didn't know how she'd feel if anything bad happened to him. The sting of tears began to heighten. Ty Lee turned to the boy that had spoken to her._

_"Help him", her voice sounded wretched and tearful. "Please."_

_"What's wrong with him?"_

_"I don't know. He just fainted", she began to sob. "Please just help him."_

_The boy nodded and walked over to Aang's limp body. He bent down and scooped Aang up like he was carrying a sleeping child. Then he turned and said something to the girl. She nodded silently and all of a sudden, from nowhere, a large stone sled broke out of the ground before Ty Lee's eyes. She was astonished. No one had made any bending movements. No had jumped up and jammed their foot or hand into the ground or anything. It was almost as if the sled had just crashed out of the ground of it's own volition. The boy nodded and said something else Ty Lee didn't hear to the girl before he walked over, with Aang in his arms, to where she was standing with her pet. He said or rather whispered something to her before he turned and carefully dropped Aang on the sled. As soon as the boy dropped Aang's back on the sled, the girl took off into the forest without so much as a word. The boy seemed unfazed. Instead, he barked something incomprehensible to his companion's pet. The tigerdillo spared a look at Ty Lee before it took off into the forest too, presumably after the girl._

_The boy stepped onto the sled and motioned at Ty Lee with his outstretched hand. "Come on."_

_Ty Lee did not spare a moment. She wiped her teary face, rose to her feet, leapt forward and landed neatly on the sled. She knelt down next to Aang and put her hands on his chest. He was taking short laborious breaths and his body was quivering slightly. Ty Lee's worries were doubling now. 'Something very bad was happening to him. Something that ha-' A loud rumble interrupted her worried thoughts and the sled began to vibrate steadily. Ty Lee raised her head to see what was causing the noise and was stunned. They were no more at the beach. The sled was now cruising on the ground through the forest, weaving in between trees swiftly. Ty Lee looked at the boy. He was standing at the front of the sled. His body was bent forward, his right leg was bent at the knee in front and his left leg was extended behind him. His fisted hands were behind his back. Ty Lee glanced quizzically at him. He had a clean and youthful face, from what she could see kneeling behind him. He was tall, not too tall though he easily stood over her. He had short jet black hair and honey-complexioned skin. He was clad in dark green, body-fitting clothes. A pair of pants, black boots, a shirt whose long sleeves were folded at his elbows. 'So he's an earthbender', Ty Lee thought. He looked young and strong. Ty Lee's curiousity spun into confusion. 'What was he doing here? And who was the other girl?'_

_'I'll find out later. I just need to take things one step at a time'. Having decided that, Ty Lee turned her attention back to Aang. He was lying limply on the sled and he had gotten worse. Now he was letting out small groans and grunts of pain. Ty Lee carefully raised his head off the sled and settled it on her lap. It seemed to have helped as his groans faltered and his features relaxed a little. Ty Lee cupped his face and brushed off a small speck of dirt that had found it's way to his left cheek. Ty Lee at first did not register when the sled began to slow down until it just stopped. Then she noticed and looked up. The boy that had been controlling the sled had jumped off already. Ty Lee looked around to see why they had stopped. When she saw them, Ty Lee couldn't help the gasp that escaped her._

_They were surrounded. By wolfhounds. And the girl that had run into the forest earlier was seated regally on one of the wolfhounds. Ty Lee looked at the girl but she didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she was sitting on a deadly creature. Her pet tigerdillo was standing beside her on the ground. It looked as if they had been waiting. Ty Lee apprehensively looked at the wolfhounds. They looked a bit different from the ones that had attacked them before. They were six of them. They were huge and most of them were coloured various shades of brown. Except for one in front of her. It was coloured slightly darker than the rest of it's counterparts. It also looked bigger than the rest and had a certain air about it that conveyed it's authority and power to all. The boy was standing in front of it and he was actually talking to it! Ty Lee was stunned beyond words. 'What in Agni's name was going on here ?' Ty Lee glanced around furtively before she settled her gaze back on the boy. She was about to speak and ask him what was happening when he turned and spoke._

_"Umm, we're here. That's the avatar", he pointed at Aang. "Let's go"_

_As soon as he finished his statement, everyone including the wolfhounds that had been standing as still as stone, jerked to life. The boy walked over briskly to the sled and Ty Lee clenched her fists and a hard look covered her face. She knew she didn't stand a chance against anyone in her current state, but she resolved to go down with a sword in her hand. The observant boy noticed her silent warning and stopped. He straightened and spoke._

_"I'm sorry if this is a bit overwhelming for you. I sometimes forget myself. My name is Zaru", he motioned around, "And these werewolves are good friends of ours. "That's Lai and her twin Lia, Xieng, Tora and that's Ming over there." Zaru motioned to each werewolf with his right hand and a small nod as he introduced them, and each werewolf in turn acknowledged it's name with a small nod. The twins even nodded together. "That", he pointed to the girl seated queen-like on the werewolf introduced as Ming, "Is Karai and her pet tigerdillo Kiwa."_

_Ty Lee had a shocked look on her face. 'Am I hallucinating or something ? This is just- She remembered her decision to take things one step at a time. But this, this was happening in a flood no make that TSUNAMI of steps. Was there no end to the strangeness of events that happened on this island?! First there had been freak storms, then wolfhounds that wanted to kill her, Aang in the avatar state, getting lost, morning kisses (Ty Lee didn't think the kissing part was weird, that was me), Aang collapsing for no reason, a tigerdillo named Kiwa, Zaru and Karai, and now werewolves. Ty Lee had lived a very simple life in the circus. Even after Azula had recruited her, things had still been simple. This-this was a bit too much for her. Ty Lee took a calming breath and reasoned that she freaking out would not be good. At all. Especially since Aang was still unconscious. Ty Lee silently vowed to handle her current situation to the best of her ability._

_Ty Lee slowly and carefully raised Aang's head off her lap. He groaned at the sudden discomfort but Ty Lee ignored him because there were more pressing matters at hand. She stood up slowly and put her hands together in the traditional greeting gesture of her homeland._

_"My name's Ty Lee." _

_The boy, along with the werewolves gave a respectful bow. The largest werewolf stepped forward._

_"My name is Kuruk. I am the leader of this pack and I welcome you, young one." His voice was deep and very strong. Like the voice of a umm well werewolf. His eyes were brilliant blue and they had an unnatural glow about them. "It would delight me greatly to stand here and exchange pleasantries, young one, but your friend, the avatar is in serious need of help."_

_Ty Lee blinked in shock for the umpteenth time that day. 'Did a werewolf just talk to her?' Ty Lee shook her head slowly and stepped back. It was beginning to look like her plan to handle things without freaking out or losing her mind would be harder than she imagined. Zaru moved past her and carried Aang while Ty Lee just watched with a dumbstruck expression on her face. He hefted Aang's body into his arms and turned around. He walked beside Kuruk and carefully deposited his body on the huge werewolf's back. Kuruk's deep voice rumbled again. "Ty Lee, for the sake of your friend, you will have to come with us."_

_"Go wha- Go where ?", Ty Lee stammered._

_"Just hop on his back. You'll see." Zaru's smile was smug, like he knew something she didn't. "C'mon, we have to go. Fast."_

_Ty Lee swallowed and looked at Aang draped over Kuruk's large back. She would have to go with them, so they could help him. After all she owed Aang her life. He had saved her from the deadly werewolves so it was only fair she played a part in helping him. So this was for him. Ty Lee warily walked over to the werewolf and stopped._

_"Just hop on.", Zaru's cheerful voice called out. Ty Lee swung her head around and saw him seated on Xieng, or was that Lai? Ty Lee turned and swallowed again. Then she mounted the werewolf. His back felt warm and strong. _

_"Whenever you're ready.", Ty Lee could feel the werewolf's back vibrating as he spoke. Ty Lee put her hand on Aang's body to steady herself._

_"I'm ready."_

_As soon as the words left her mouth, Kuruk took off in a noisy blur._

_Ty Lee had never been on the back of a bolt of lightening before but she was pretty sure this creature beneath her was just as fast. Maybe even faster, despite it's enormous size. The large creature had to be flying. Ty Lee hunched her body forward and lowered her eyelids until she was looking from behind her eyelashes. The trees and bushes were blurring past her at an unimaginable speed. Ty Lee turned her head to the left and saw Zaru on Xieng (or Lai) a few feet away. She turned her head to the right and saw Karai on Ming blurring beside her. Beside them, Kiwa ran with something that could loosely be called a grin on her feral face. Ty Lee couldn't help but grin too._

_If someone had told her that she would get a ride on the back of a werewolf and that she would enjoy it too, Ty Lee wouldn't have believed them. She didn't even know that werewolves actually existed. But they did. And she WAS getting a ride on the back of a werewolf. And spirits she WAS enjoying it. Ty Lee swung her head backwards and saw the remaining werewolves running behind them. Then for no apparent reason, Kuruk began to slow his pace. Ty Lee looked around to see why the large werewolf was slowing but she saw nothing that would have caused the decrease in speed. Then from behind, Lai and Lia ( Ty Lee knew now they were the twins because they ran alike) dashed to the front. Now Lai and Lia were in front, Ming and Xieng at the sides, Kuruk in the middle and Tora at the back. Ty Lee looked at the positions of the running werewolves and a small frown crossed her face. There was something oddly familiar about the positioning of the werewolves. It was almost as if they were- Ty Lee stopped then and there and looked down at Aang. Then it hit her. The werewolves had switched from running randomly to running in a defensive formation. That's why Kuruk had slowed down and let the twins pass him. Lia and Lai would be the defensive shield in the eventuality of attack, Xieng and Ming with Karai and Zaru the offensive retaliation, Tora would be the reinforcement while Kuruk would keep Aang safe._

_The twins began to slow down and the reduction in speed worked it's way backwards until all the werewolves were now running at a human pace. Then the twins skidded to a stop. The rest of the pack followed suit. Ty Lee looked at Zaru and then Karai. They were just as confused as she was. Kiwa began growling viciously. She seemed to be growling at something in the bushes to the right. Ty Lee looked at the twins. They both sniffed the air at the same time and swung their heads to the right. Then they both uttered one word with their unsurprisingly identical voices._

_"Wolfhounds."_

_Ty Lee stiffened. She glanced around apprehensively. There were no wolfhounds in sight. Yet, but that could easily change at any moment._

_"Go."_

_Ty Lee paused. Kuruk's voice sounded hard and almost angry. Ty Lee barely had time to ask what was going on when the pack leader surged forward. At the same time, the twins and Kiwa darted into the woods on the right._

_Ty Lee was afraid now. She didn't think it was possible for the large werewolf to run any faster than before. But now she realized fearfully, that she was wrong. The werewolves were basically arrows from bows with the way they were running now. Ty Lee had to press down on Aang's back with her chest so they wouldn't get blown off the werewolf. She looked at Karai. Karai was also pressed forward. Ty Lee swallowed and looked ahead again, praying silently to the spirits that this unusual journey would end soon._

_As if the spirits had heard her, the werewolves began to slow down. Again. Ty Lee raised her body off the still unconscious airbender and saw a large compound a few hundred yards away. Kuruk suddenly skidded to a stop. Ty Lee jerked forward and she had to push on Aang's body to keep herself from flying off the werewolf's back. Ty Lee looked at the rest of their entourage and then frowned. All the werewolves had stopped at the same point, like there was a line or boundary telling them to do so. Ty Lee heard soft footfalls as Zaru and Karai dismounted. She took the hint and dismounted too. Zaru came over and helped her drag Aang's body off the werewolf. The werewolf that seemed to be in a hurry. Ty Lee suspected that it had something to do with the twins and the wolfhounds they had mentioned._

_Kuruk confirmed her suspicions with his short farewell. "I would love to stay and assist in any way I can, young one, but there is an urgent matter that I must attend to. Zaru, give my regards to Xen and Lin for me. Tell them I'll come when I can." And with that he and the rest of the pack turned and dashed away._

_While Ty Lee just stood there gawking at the place where the large furry werewolves had stood. Zaru and Karai, on the other hand wasted no time at all. They promptly turned and ran towards the castle, Zaru still carrying Aang in his arms. Ty Lee whipped her head around. 'Why were the runn- AANG ! Ty Lee jerked to life and tore after the running duo. They got to a rock wall that opened on it's own to admit the running teenagers. Ty Lee did not falter. She had to ensure that Aang would be fine. She didn't care if she was foolishly charging into a trap. Yet somehow, she didn't believe that this was a trap. They ran past the mansion walls into the courtyard. Ty Lee didn't even spare a look around. She kept her eyes on Aang's head as it bobbed up and down with Zaru's movements._

_They turned left and came into view of a large building. Karai suddenly jerked to the front and Ty Lee took this as a hint that their run was almost over. She was tired but she wasn't going to stop now. Not for anything. Karai got to the double doors first and she literally punched them open._

_"I'll get father!", she yelled._

_Zaru basically flew into the building and Ty Lee followed hot on his heels. Zaru's blinding speed began to reduce as he ran into a long windowless corridor. His voice began to ring out. "Mother ! Mother ! Mother !"_

_He got to a T junction of corridors and Ty Lee could clearly hear a responding female voice to the right. He heard it too and charged to the right. Ty Lee followed faithfully. They burst through the only door at the end of the corridor and came into a small room. There was a woman in the room, and as soon as Zaru entered, she collected Aang from him and deposited him neatly on the nearest bed. Zaru, without pausing, turned and ran out without even taking a moment to regain his breath. Ty Lee did not know why Zaru had not yet collpased from exhaustion. After all, he had run for almost five minutes without stopping and he had been carrying Aang the entire time. 'He must be really strong.' Ty Lee on the other hand was out of breath. She rested her palms on her knees and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart, keeping her eyes on Aang the entire time._

_The woman didn't even look at Ty Lee. She, with her surprisingly strong hands, ripped Aang's tunic open and Ty Lee's eyes automatically began to search his body for anything unusual. And there was something unusual. Two large dark blotches were on his back. Right on the shoulders. The same place where the wolfhounds had attacked him. Ty Lee let out a small whimper. The woman heard and looked at her. At first the woman looked at her curiously, then a new look slid into place on her face. A grim look._

_"What did this ?", the woman asked._

_Ty Lee couldn't help but her notice that the woman had said 'What' not 'Who'. Disregarding that, she replied. "Wolfhounds."_

_The woman nodded and carefull turned Aang over so he was lying on his stomach. She turned and walked over to a table covered with bowls and bottles near the wall and began to mix something in a small mixing bowl. Ty Lee couldn't tell whether or not Aang was breathing. She didn't even know whether he was still alive. Ty Lee looked at the woman. She had turned away from her mixing and was now looking past Ty Lee as if there was something behind her. Ty Lee turned and saw Karai walking into the room. A man entered immediately after Karai did._

_The man smiled. "Hello, Ty Lee."_

_**And that's it..**_

_**For now...**_

_**I apologise once again for my late update... The last of high school (Graduation) is behind me. Now I'm just another 16 year old that has finished high school...**_

_**About the werewolves... They're like the ones in Twilight... Y'know, tall dark and dangerous... What can I say...? I love Twilight... I'm especially in love with the werewolves... How they run and attack as one single, organized body... So I borrowed that idea (and a few werewolves) and used it... But that's all I borrowed... There will be no vampires, hybrids, newborns or anything like that... Drac promise...**_

_**Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter... I know it's a bit confusing... But that's what I got...**_

_**The next chapter will explain pretty much everyone's origins...**_

_**Review ! Review ! Review !**_

_**Oh and one more thing... I can't believe I forgot to say this at the beginning... REVIEW !**_

_**Til' Next Chapter...**_

_**Tha' Drac Lord out !**_


	11. Fever

_**Yay ! My course is finally over... Thank God...**_

_**Sorry if you didn't like the last chapter... I re-read it and it seemed a bit wack to me... Oh well...**_

_**One of my lovely reviewers, Moose by pen name, suggested that I make the chapters longer... I totally agree with you, Moose... So I've decided after a very long and boring board meeting (with only myself and my P.A in attendance) that I'm going to make sure each chapter is at least 2,000 words long...**_

_**One more thing... Some of you might have noticed the haphazard and undefined way my chapters are spaced and paragraphed... I apologize... That's my phone... I don't know what's wrong with it...**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. Duh.**_

_**Chapter 11 (Day 4)**_

_**Fever**_

_Under normal circumstances, Ty Lee would be very angry. But these weren't exactly normal circumstances. Or were they?_

_It was the thought or rather question that kept Ty Lee's right hand on her stinging cheek._

_Aang had slapped her. On the face._

_The first ten seconds after the airbender's hand had made contact with the right side of her face, the acrobat's anger had shot up like lightning. But her rage had simmered down and eventually died when Aang had begun to whine and groan with pain._

_Ty Lee's eyes began to water and she was moved to tears of pity and deep commiseration as she watched the airbender writhe on the bed in agony. His cries of pain intensified. Without warning, Aang let out a roar and his body shook convulsively. Ty Lee whimpered. She could feel the tears tearing at her eyes viciously, threatening to fall._

_Ty Lee slowly advanced to the bed, making sure she wasn't within range of Aang's erratically flailing limbs again. From the right side of the bed, she stood and looked at him. He was turning and tossing on the bed like a beached shark-cat._

_She moved a little closer to the bed and bent from the waist down to observe the thrashing airbender._

_Bad idea._

_Very bad idea._

_Quick as a flash, his foot shot towards her's face and she barely registered the surging foot before it hit her._

_On the left side of her face._

_Bright stars and fireballs blazed and exploded before Ty Lee's eyes. Her head jerked sharply to the right and she staggered backwards._

_'Wow, even in pain, he's still very strong', she thought fleetingly. Her head hurt. And the brain inside it hurt even more. Ty Lee groaned and put her hand to the side of her head. Her vision began to sway slightly and she was pretty sure there were bees buzzing around in her brain._

_From the end of her undulating vision, Ty Lee could see Xen and Lin holding the thrashing airbender down, preventing him from causing further damage to anyone._

_Ty Lee thought she heard a sound behind her, but she wasn't quite sure. It could very well be a product of her spinning and buzzing head._

_Ty Lee fell to her knees and groaned again. That kick really hurt. A lot._

_Ty Lee felt a weight on her shoulder. With a small groan, she turned her head slowly and saw Zaru kneeling behind her, his hand on her shoulder. She saw Karai stride past them to the bed, to help restrain a still thrashing Aang._

_Zaru's hand felt very warm on her shoulder and Ty Lee revelled greedily in the feel of the earthbender's warm hand on her shoulder. She dropped her eyelids and relaxed her shoulders. "Your hand feels very warm. And strong", she moaned._

_As soon as the last word left Ty Lee's mouth, the warm hand jerked off her shoulder. Ty Lee jerked her eyes open and made a sound of protest, like a little girl that had been deprived of her favourite doll._

_She looked at Zaru with a pleading look in her eyes. The earthbender had a strange expression on his face. His crystal green eyes carried an expression akin to bewilderment. Before Ty Lee's eyes, the expression vaporised and Zaru smiled. It was a small smile, but it conveyed a lot to the acrobat._

_Zaru squeezed Ty Lee's shoulder in an affectionate gesture and rose to his feet, raising the petite acrobat to her feet as he did._

_"Thank you", Ty Lee squeaked out._

_Zaru replied warmly, "You're welcome."_

_Ty Lee nodded and turned her head to look at Aang. His thrashing had stopped but his body was now covered in a light sheen of sweat._

_For no particular reason, Ty Lee's eyes drifted from Aang to Karai, and her drifting eyes stopped abruptly. The firebender was glaring at her. Ty Lee blinked when she saw Karai staring right at her with the most vicious look a living person could ever give another living person._

_Ty Lee blushed lightly, and had the distinct feeling that Karai had seen what had just happened between her and Zaru._

_And she did not like it._

_One._

_Damn._

_Bit._

_Lin's motherly voice floated over the tensely charged air, "We need to cool him down. He's getting too hot."_

_Karai nodded at Lin but continued to glare at Ty Lee. Zaru was inadvertently making matters worse by standing behind her._

_He, unaware of Karai's angry expression, made sure the petite acrobat was well on her feet before he left her and walked over to the bed._

_Ty Lee was a bit surprised at what happened next. Karai stood by the right side of the bed near Aang's head. Xen stood on the other side and Lin strode over to the end of the bed by Aang's feet._

_Zaru caught the idea and stepped back a few metres, far enough that he was out of their way, and yet close enough in case he was needed._

_Xen and Karai both put their hands, palms facing downwards, on Aang's sweating body. One hand on one side of his forehead and the other on his upturned palm._

_Lin however kept her hands in the air at chest level. Then she began to rotate them slowly and before Ty Lee's eyes, water materialised and began to follow the woman's hands._

_Ty Lee's mouth opened a bit. She did not know where the water had come from, but she could see it as it flew calmly through the air following Lin's twirling hands._

_After Lin had acquired a sizable stream of water, she brought her hands down to waist level and once again, the water followed it. Lin settled the water on Aang's body and began to make slow, hypnotic cyclic movements with her hands._

_Ty Lee watched, mouth agape as the water slowly began to embalm Aang's quivering body. Eventually it covered his entire body, save his head and palms._

_At first nothing happened. Then after a while, Ty Lee began to feel it._

_The room began to get warmer._

_It quickly became humid in the small room and Ty Lee began to sweat lightly. She looked over at Aang but she couldn't see much. Most of his body was still covered in water and Lin was blocking her view of Aang._

_It began to get uncomfortable and stuffy in the room and Ty Lee began to really feel the heat._

_Just when she thought she was going to pass out from the heat, Karai and Xen lifted their hands off Aang's body._

_A few moments later, Lin raised the water off Aang's body. She turned and faced Ty Lee. "He's made it through the worst of the pain. All that's left is the fever."_

_"F-F Fever?", Ty Lee stuttered._

_"Yes, dear, FEVER." The matronly waterbender put extra emphasis on the fever' and Ty Lee felt like an idiot for a moment. But the ensuing smile the waterbender gave her banished the feelings almost immediately._

_"Is it b-bad?", she asked._

_"Not necessarily... Like the name suggests, it's a... fever. It'll last the night, and it'll be gone by morning."_

_"So he'll be okay?"_

_"Yes he will. He'll be physically weak for a day or two but he'll be fine."_

_Karai spoke up. "We will go make dinner... Or supper." She corrected as she looked around the dark room._

_She glared at Ty Lee. Again. Then she walked out without a word._

_Zaru walked over to Ty Lee and squeezed her shoulder in the same affectionate way she had done earlier before he walked out too._

_An uncomfortable silence took Karai's place in the room. Xen gave the room, Ty Lee and Aang one last, lingering look before he spoke, "I think I should go too."_

_Uncomfortable silence boomed._

_He nodded at Ty Lee and left the room._

_Lin walked over to the table and pulled out a short stool from under it. Then she put a large bowl on it. The whole time she was doing this, the water she had covered Aang's body in a few minutes earlier continued to spin lazily in the air._

_"Ho- How are you doing that?"_

_"How am I doing what?", Lin asked._

_"That", Ty Lee pointed at the floating glob of water like it was the most obvious thing in the room... Which it was._

_"I can bend without my body...just like my husband."_

_Ty Lee stood there. Quiet._

_"I thought he told you."_

_At first Ty Lee did not register what Lin was saying to her. Her mind buried in deep ponderings. The older woman had to snap her fingers twice before Ty Lee came back to reality._

_"Wh- what?"_

_Lin smiled, "I said I thought my husband told you that he could bend without his body."_

_"He did. But I-_

_"Thought he was the only one who could bend with his mind", Lin finished. Ty Lee nodded slowly._

_Lin looked at the floating water and it suddenly divided into three smaller globs. "I can bend with my mind." The first glob flew into the bowl in her hands._

_"Zaru can bend with his mind." The second glob flew into the bowl. "Karai can bend with her mind too." The third glob flew after it's companions into the bowl with a small splash. Lin smirked confidently and walked over to the bed._

_"But that's beside the point. Let's get your friend's fever down."_

_Ty Lee nodded and walked over to the bed. Lin put the stool beside the bed near Aang's head and put the bowl on the stool. Then she walked over to the table._

_Ty Lee knelt by the bed near Aang's head and put the back of her hand on his forehead. It was hot. She turned it over and cleaned the sweat of his face. Lin returned with a small cloth which she put in the bowl. Then she got up and started to walk towards the door. She was leaving._

_"Are you leav-_

_"I'm going to get a torch. It's getting too dark for me to see", Lin called over her shoulder without stopping or looking back._

_"Oh- Okay."_

_Ty Lee rested back on her haunches and fiddled with her hands impatiently while she awaited Lin's return. She looked around her and saw a second bed a few feet behind her, empty and smooth. She turned her gaze back to Aang and fiddled with her hands anew. A few seconds later, Lin reappeared, blazing torch in hand._

_"Let's begin."_

_*Meanwhile in Aang's very feverish head*_

_Aang was confused._

_He was somewhere around-_

_That was the problem! He didn't even know where he was._

_As far as his eye could see, there was- nothing for his eye to see. It was all white and misty. Like a very steamy bathroom._

_The thought of bathrooms made Aang think of clean which made him look down at his body. His clothes were clean. So was the rest of his body. Aang frowned. He looked sparkling clean. He didn't know why but he couldn't help but think he wasn't supposed to be clean._

_A very loud crash interrupted his musing and Aang jerked his head up immediately to look around._

_Nothing._

_There was literally nothing in sight._

_Aang was literally surrounded by nothing._

_'Maybe I'm in the spirit world," he thought._

_Yes! He was in the spirit world. Aang grinned at his brilliant theory. Then he frowned, 'I can't be in the spirit world.'_

_He had been to the spirit world a few times before and this-this looked nothing like the spirit world. Then again, it could be the spirit world. Maybe he had just never been to this part of it before. Confusion began to creep in._

_"I wish I had Roku," he whined. A few seconds passed before he beamed, "I do have Roku." Aang plopped to the ground and arranged his legs in the full lotus position. He closed his eyes and focused intently on the avatar before him. Nothing happened. Aang cracked one eye open and looked around._

_No Roku._

_Just misty nothingness as far as his open eye could see._

_Aang closed his eye and tried again. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration and small droplets of sweat began to form above his eyebrows._

_Again his eye popped open, and again there was no Roku. Aang gave up and rested his jaw in his right hand. He sighed frustratedly, "I guess I don't have Roku."_

_He started to get up but was stopped by the most excruciating pain he had ever felt before in his life. It felt like he was in a bath of boiling water, and he was getting stabbed with a thousand knives, and a thousand Agni Kai's were being fought inside his body, all at the same time._

_'What's happening?', he thought frantically. Against his will, his body began rise into the air but Aang barely noticed. It was like every cell in his body was on fire._

_Without warning, his body suddenly stiffened. His arms and legs shot straight out and the pain shot through his body with the uncontrolled movement. For a fleeting second, Aang thought someone had set him on fire._

_Aang tried to endure the pain and not cry, but with the increasing pain he was feeling, it was becoming increasingly difficult not to._

_He tried to open his eyes, but the small movement only made the pain worse. His body stiffened again. And the pain redoubled. This time he couldn't help himself, he cried out in pain and began to whine pitifully. He writhed in the fiery torture, willing with all his heart that it would stop._

_But the pain didn't stop. In fact, it seemed to increase exponentially with each passing second. It was like he was being burnt alive. And it was extremely uncomfortable. And painful._

_Aang managed to, with a small grunt, tear his eyes open. But as he did, a new wave of pain, a thousand times more intense than before hit and washed over the entirety of his body. He roared in pain and his body convulsed from the redoubled torturous fire washing through his veins._

_After what seemed like a thousand years, the pain gradually began to stop. First, it drifted out of his head, then his hands, then the rest of his body. The pain seemed to be migrating. It seemed to be moving out of his body and into his head and his hands. And from there it seemed like something was sucking the pain right out of his body._

_Aang closed his eyes in relief as the pain began to seep out of his body. A chilly sensation started to cover his entire body, save his head and and hands, and Aang welcomed it wholeheartedly. As the chill intensified, the fiery pain dissipated until there was nothing left. A few moments after, the chilly sensation disappeared and immediately, Aang felt better. Just like that._

_Aang dropped to his feet and opened his eyes. He was taken aback by what he saw. The leaves had never looked so green, the ground more brown, the sky so… blue. And everything was so much more detailed than it used to be. Aang could see the little veins in the leaves from a hundred feet away. He could see every little insect moving on every tree. He could practically see the wind._

_Aang stretched his limbs, expecting them to be sore from the fiery pain, but they felt stronger than they ever had before. Aang took a few steps forward, and was surprised that it took absolutely no effort at all. Aang looked around once more. Then he stopped moving. Two things were very wrong here._

_First, he was no longer surrounded by a white and misty void. As far as he could see, there were lush and tall trees. He was in the middle of a large forest._

_But that didn't seem to bother him. Because standing in front of him, no more than a few feet away, was Ty Lee with a bowl in her small hands._

_But that was still not what bothered Aang._

_No. That was not what bothered Aang._

_It was her eyes._

_It was her eyes that bothered Aang._

_Those eyes._

_They were blue._

_Ty Lee's eyes were blue._

_Strangely, that didn't sound right in Aang's head. He couldn't help but feel as if there was something not right about what was going on. He swallowed silently before he spoke in a somewhat shaky voice, "T-Ty Lee?"_

_And just like that, she evaporated. Into thin air. Aang barely had time to question the acrobat's disappearance because standing in her place was someone Aang was somewhat happy to see._

_Katara._

_**And that's it... For now... Anyway...**_

_**I've started on chapter 12 but I can't say for certain when I'll finish it... Oh well...**_

_**Review... If you want to...**_

_**Till next chapter...**_

_**- Tha Drac Lord**_


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